Swept to Ruin
by halfasblind
Summary: OTH, SPN Crossover. Sequel to Come What May. With Sam in tow, Dean returns to Tree Hill, but a short vacation from hunting doesn't last when the boys begin investigating one of Tree Hill's own.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Swept to Ruin  
Fandom: One Tree Hill/Supernatural  
Genres: Angst, Romance, Crossover  
Pairing: Dean/Peyton  
Spoilers: One Tree Hill, "Over the Hills and Far Away"; Supernatural, "Provenance"  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't 'em. Wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself if I did.  
Summary: Sequel to Come What May/Split Second. Takes place five months after Dean left Tree Hill. Dean's back, accompanied by Sam this time around and while the brothers wreak havoc on the hearts of the Tree Hill females, a murder mystery keeps them occupied.

A/N: Okay, folks. waves Certain people wanted the fic to continute so here we are and there's a few things you need to know before you begin reading this continuing tale -- The story picks up in One Tree Hill time after "Over the Hills and Far Away". Now, everything's happened except that Peyton didn't admit to Brooke that she loves Lucas. But Brooke and Lucas aren't together anyway so… that doesn't matter, now does it? Dan shot Keith. The school shooting happened. Lucas saved Peyton. And yes she did say ILY. BUT she had lost a lot of blood and thought Lucas was Dean. (How could she ever confuse the two? I don't know. And I'm the one writing this!) In Supernatural time, everything happened up to "Provenance". Yes, Dean almost died. Sam had his mini-vacation with Meg. You know the rest. Except Sam didn't have the warm and fuzzies for Sarah 'cause otherwise what I have planned for Sam wouldn't make much sense. evil laugh All this will come to play at some point so sit back and enjoy. This ride will be a lot more bumpy than the first one. Enjoy!

**Swept to Ruin: Chapter One**

Atlanta was far behind him, but yet the things that transpired there still plagued Dean Winchester's thoughts. With each spin of the Impala's tires, he inched closer to Tree Hill and closer to Peyton. It filled him with a flurry of emotions, none of which he had time to process at the moment.

With the sky darkening above, Dean found himself pressing his foot harder to the gas pedal, even more ambitious to reach the North Carolina state line before the sky opened up. He didn't want to slow down and the rain would do more than slow him down.

As he'd driven out of the gas station in Georgia, Sam had asked what was leading them to North Carolina instead of the trip that they had planned on to Illinois. Dean had quickly told his brother that there was someone that he needed to see. Sam had tried to prod further, but Dean quickly shot down his brother's attempts, telling his younger sibling that it was nothing he need concern himself with.

Sam had fell silent since then. He had slept for a while, but mostly he stared out the window, stewing.

Chancing a look at his brother, Dean noted that Sam was lost in his thoughts. "Stop thinking so loud," Dean chided, fully aware of his brother's consternation from the passenger side seat.

Dean was pretty sure that a hundred questions were running through his kid brother's head that he'd no doubt have to answer sooner or later. Though, something told him that it would be much sooner than later.

He and Sam had spent nearly six months out on the road in the search for their father and not once had he uttered Peyton's name. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk about her. Because he did. He wanted to tell Sam all about Peyton and the summer that he'd spent in Tree Hill, but Sam wasn't ready to hear that story. Sam was still mourning Jessica and what good what it do either of them for him to reveal that he'd fallen in love and left her behind to go scouring the country for their father instead?

Leaving Peyton behind wasn't something that he was entirely proud of, especially given the way that he'd left. Sneaking out after Peyton had fallen asleep was a copout, he knew, but if he'd had to say goodbye to her face to face he wasn't sure that he could make it out the door by himself.

He'd regretted it every day since, but the damage was done. He just hoped that he could undo it.

Dean looked back at Sam, sighing when he realized that Sam was ignoring him on purpose. So he returned his eyes to the road, choosing to concentrate on his drive and not the internal battle that his brother was waging.

Yes, he'd been stewing, waiting for the most opportune most to attack Dean with the series of questions running through his head. But despite all the questions running rampant through his head, the only one Sam wanted an answer to was: _Why? _

Dean had always been the more focused one. Sarcastic, headstrong and the ladies man. He'd always had a way with the girls, but it wasn't very often that any one girl lasted beyond one night.

Girls were all good and fun when Dean wanted to get laid, but other than that he'd always been more concerned with hunting and training.

So to say that Sam was a little shocked that his brother was foregoing a hunt to go and visit a girl, it just tilted his world a little bit.

Okay. It tilted his world a whole lot.

Unable to contain his silence anymore, Sam finally spoke. "You know what I don't understand is all these months together driving around and you say _nothing_," Sam finally said, his eyes locked on the sky and the burgeoning storm. "You breathe not a word about this girl."

"Peyton," Dean offered, not liking the way that Sam said 'girl'. It slipped from his brother's lips accompanied with visions of one night stands and meaningless sex. Peyton was so much more than that. Much, _much _more.

"What?" Sam asked as the first roll of thunder exploded from the sky.

"Her name is _Peyton_," Dean told his brother, his throat tightening as her name escaped his mouth. Even after all these months it was still hard for him to think about her without thinking about the way she'd looked at him after he'd rescued her from Lady Guinevere. It was that look that had fueled his middle of the night departure. It was cemented in his subconscious, forever reminding him about the danger that he'd put her in.

Sam stared at Dean for a few moments before he spoke again. "Peyton," he repeated, testing the name aloud. "You seem out of league for a Peyton, Dean, don't you think?"

"Shut up, Sammy," Dean snapped, shaking his head to get his thoughts in order. This was a conversation that he had never hoped to have. Maybe he should've thought about that before placing the call to Peyton in Atlanta.

"Dean, we're driving out of the way to see this girl, I think I deserve to know a few things."

Okay, _now _he was annoyed. Why should Sam be privy to his relationship with Peyton when he couldn't even speak Jessica's name?

Screw _that_.

As rain began to petal the windshield, Dean switched on the wipers as he reminded his brother, "I don't recall you giving me the tell-all on your relationship with Jessica so why should you get one on my relationship with Peyton."

Sam couldn't believe his ears. "Jessica died, Dean. Excuse me for not being exceptionally chatty," he snipped, outraged that his brother had literally used that argument. "But that's not really what your problem is, is it?"

Dean glared at his brother. "What?"

"You're not pissed that you don't know anything my relationship with Jess. You just don't want to talk about your relationship with this girl. Since when do you have _relationships _anyway?"

"Since my car broke down in Tree Hill, North Carolina and I met Peyton. That's when," Dean stated flatly, hoping that Sam would drop his line of questioning. He knew that his brother would have questions but he had hoped not to answer any until they'd gotten to Tree Hill. But, of course, he knew that was a fool's dream seeing that they were cooped up in the car for the next few hours alone and if he knew his brother, Sam wasn't going to let the opportunity pass him by to get the full story.

They had another 200 miles to go before they got to Tree Hill. Sam had three hours--give or take--to grill his brother about this girl and he wasn't going to waste a second. "I just want to know what makes this Peyton different from all the other ones, Dean. What about this girl has us foregoing a hunt to drive seven hours in the opposite direction to see her? Huh?"

Dean wished that he had a logical explanation for their current situation. But he didn't. He didn't know why Peyton still had the affect on him that she did.

Truth was, he had spent the last few months thinking about her. There wasn't a second since he'd left Tree Hill when she hadn't been on his mind. The phone calls to Lucas and Haley to make sure that she was okay just gave him glimpses into her life and what he'd left behind.

When Lucas had called to tell him that Ellie had passed on, he had curbed the impulse to jump in his car and hightail it back to Tree Hill to be there for her. But Lucas had told him that his presence wasn't necessary. Lucas said that she was dealing with Ellie's death in her own way and him storming back into her life would only confuse and anger her, more than she was already.

And Lucas had been right. He had no right to just barge back into her life, especially not after the way he'd exited it.

He and Lucas didn't talk much about the way he'd left Tree Hill. In the same instant, neither did Peyton. Lucas had told him that Peyton refused to talk about his leaving with anyone.

But in his haste to get out of Tree Hill, Dean hadn't realized that Peyton wouldn't be the only one he'd be leaving. It had taken Haley three months to get over being pissed at him. When he would talk to Lucas, he'd ask about her and she'd blatantly tell Lucas to tell him to go to hell. He was sure that most, if not all, of her hostility was due to her loyalty to Peyton.

_Peyton_.

He'd screwed up so many times since he'd met her. Lying to her, leaving her, almost getting her killed. The list was never ending. He still felt guilty for the entire New Orleans fiasco which had attributed to him not keeping in touch with her.

His guilt was unwavering and even though Lucas had assured him numerous times over the past few months that Peyton held no ill will toward him for what had happened, he still blamed himself.

He couldn't help feeling that everything that had transpired in New Orleans was of his own making. If only he'd held his ground with her. If only she'd stayed at the hotel…

As best as he could he tried to find somewhere that he could've made better judgments. But he was only left with the realization that all of his judgments had become jaded since he'd met Peyton.

"I can't give you an answer, Sam. I barely have an answer for it myself. But I care about this girl and that's really all you need to know."

Sam sighed, worried about his brother and what seeing this girl again would do to Dean. Obviously something had gone wrong if Dean never brought up her name. "Dean if she hurt you so bad that you won't even talk about her--_can't _talk about her--why go through that again?"

"You don't get it, Sam," Dean said with a shake of his head. Taking his eyes off the road for a millisecond, he told his brother, "She didn't hurt me. _I _hurt _her_. I hurt her in the worst possible way."

Sam cleared his throat, quieting for a few seconds, watching as Dean sped up to pass up the Dodge Caravan in front of them. "You know you can talk to me, Dean. I mean… I know I haven't always been upfront with you, but you can talk to me."

"But I don't want to."

---

"So this is it," Sam resigned as Dean entered the city limits of Tree Hill. There wasn't much to the town, but as he thought about it, there wasn't much to their home town either.

"This is it," Dean said, breathing a sigh of relief that wasn't even entirely relief. Exhaustion? Temperament? Neverousness? Calm?

No, it couldn't be calmness, could it? Though their was an air of calm that washed over him whenever he thought about what Tree Hill represented to him. _Home_. Tree Hill had come to be a home to him over the few months that he'd spent there during the summer.

"I just can't picture you spending an entire summer here. A big city like L.A. or something? Yeah, sure. But this?" Sam shook his head.

"Guess I like the small town life," Dean said with a grunt as he slowly made his way down the main strip, mustering a smile as the same old shops came into view. His breath hitched as he passed Karen's Café, remembering the many meals that he'd had there.

"Still, Dean… it's a _basketball _town," Sam said as he read the banner that spanned overhead from one side of the street to the other.

"The Ravens are one of the best, I'll have you know." Sam's stupefied look prompted Dean to add, "Or so I've been told."

"It's like I don't even know you," Sam muttered as Dean pulled into the River Walk Inn.

---

"You and the manager seemed like old friends," Sam said, hanging on tight to the strap of his duffel as he lead Dean into their hotel room.

It was Mel, the River Walk Inn manager, who had helped Dean arrange the skating outing with Peyton back in June. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it was a night he remembered well. That night they had shared their first kiss.

Over the years he hadn't dwelled on many of his first kisses. Mainly because they were meaningless, but the one he'd shared with Peyton was different. _She _was different.

"Yeah, we go way back," Dean muttered, trailing behind his brother into the room. Closing the door behind himself, Dean watched as Sam chucked his bag onto the double bed. He'd left his bag in the car, not sure on what his plans were. One thing was for sure. He had to go see Peyton. Tonight.

"You know, since you two are old buddies, you could've finagled us some singles. You're my brother and I love you, but we haven't slept together since you started reading Playboy and I'm not up to play the 'Is that your wet spot or mine?' game every morning."

Dean swung his keys around his finger, faking a smile as he told Sam, "Well as fun as that game sounds--only not--you'll more than likely be bunking here by yourself. Unless I can't get Peyton to talk to me then we'll figure something out."

Sam nodded his head as he dug into his duffel for a change of clothes. It wasn't like he hadn't expected Dean to scamper off in search of Peyton the second they arrived in Tree Hill. So much for him hoping that his brother would introduce him to his girlfriend. Or whatever the hell Peyton was to Dean.

Dean's eyes roamed around the room. It wasn't much different from the one he'd stayed in when he'd first come to Tree Hill. Though this one smelled faintly of rotten cheese. Perhaps it was a dead rat. Quickly dispelling that thought, Dean told Sam, "When I first came to Tree Hill I stayed here. Not this exact room, but… well, you know."

Making his way over toward the television set, Dean plucked off the channel listing guide, not surprised to find that the movie of the week was _Dirty Dancing_. It always seemed to be something with Travolta, Swayze or Keanu Reeves.

"And the next time…?"

Dean's head shot over at Sam. "What?"

"You said the first time," Sam pointed out. "That implies that you came and went numerous times. Where'd you stay the rest of the times?"

Making his way to the window, Dean peered out at the busy River Walk and the harbor beyond. Dusk had already fallen so the River Walk wasn't as nearly busy as it usually was in the daylight hours. Dean was pretty sure that the younger crowd had congregated to TRIC.

"After I left the first time and came back, I stayed at Luke's mostly." When Sam shrugged his shoulders citing that he had no idea who Luke was, Dean informed his brother, "He's a friend."

Sam questioned no further. When Dean wanted to tell him about the few months he'd spent in Tree Hill during the summer, he would. Dean was not an open book and pushing his brother for details would only aggravate and annoy his older brother.

One thing was for sure, Dean was an emotional mess, if the wringing of his hands and the constant glances at his watch were any indication. He had never seen Dean so strung out. Or so nervous. Dean was actually nervous to see this girl again. There was no doubt in his mind now that something bad had happened. Sam just wondered what it was and why his brother was hesitant to talk about this girl who apparently meant a great deal to him.

"You know, Dean, if you want to talk…"

"Ah, geez…," Dean muttered before he threw himself facedown onto the bed. The last thing Dean needed or wanted for that matter was for Sam to put the Psychology classes he'd taken at Stanford to use on him.

He didn't have a problem and he didn't want to be doctored. He was simply revisiting past wounds. Couldn't he do that in peace without being hounded every five minutes from his baby brother? "You know, Sam, I don't want you to take this the wrong way but…," Dean began as he rolled over onto his back. "… the last thing I want to do is talk about this."

"It might help you deal with seeing her again."

Dean crossed his arms as he leaned against the headboard, informing his misguided younger sibling, "Whether I talk about it or not, when I see her again it's gonna hurt like hell."

---

He'd had two hours to think about his course of action. He wouldn't have driven seven hours out of his way just to stalk her, that much was for certain. He just didn't know how he was going to approach her or what he was going to say to her.

Hell, he couldn't even be sure she would even talk to him.

When he'd called from Atlanta they'd had a conversation based on a hypothetical situation so he couldn't be positive that she wouldn't kick him to the curb. He'd certainly deserve it.

The summer before he had spent the better part of three months in Tree Hill, leaving only when a job arose. Perhaps, he had stuck around Tree Hill longer than he should have. After all, he wasn't supposed to get close to anyone.

That was the Winchester mission statement, wasn't it? No long term commitments. No relationships.

It was the Winchester credo. Relationships didn't factor into a life of demon hunting.

But for some reason he let down all of his defenses when it came to _her_.

Which was why he was sitting in his car in an empty parking lot at midnight waiting for her to leave work.

He had spent every day since he left Tree Hill thinking about her. He had called her several times, but only let the call last long enough to hear her voice. He just had to know that she was okay, even though there was never a doubt in his mind that she was. Lucas would make sure to that.

Dean knew he had no right to be jealous of her relationship with Lucas, but jealousy wasn't something easily controlled. He couldn't turn it on or off and for no reason except the obvious one, he was jealous of Lucas Scott.

Lucas and Peyton had had a bond like no other, a bond that he'd witnessed first hand on numerous occasions. So Peyton hadn't been honest with him from the get go about her previous relationships and lack thereof. So what? It wasn't like he'd been honest with her about his previous relationships.

Of course for him there was more lack thereof than there were relationships.

Still, he wondered if there was something more between her and Lucas. Peyton had assured him that she hadn't had feelings for Lucas in a long time. Lucas had even told him that there was nothing aside from friendship between him and Peyton, but it didn't keep Dean from wondering.

Dean watched as the last of TRIC's customers had existed the building. The group of girls climbed into the same little blue Volkswagen bug, leaving only Peyton's car in the parking lot. He waited until the car had vanished down the road before he made his move.

Pushing open his car door, he climbed out up and began making his way across the parking lot to the building.

Inside Peyton was wiping down the countertops as she hummed along to the music playing from a portable stereo that set atop the bar. When she heard the door open and close she didn't even lift her head from her task, simply saying, "We're closed. Come back tomorrow."

Dean watched Peyton for a few moments before he made his presence known. "Well, I'm glad that I didn't come here for a nightcap."

Peyton froze, her eyes closing upon hearing the familiar voice. She couldn't ignore the feelings of joy and excitement that shot through her or stop the smile that tugged at her lips.

She spun around, spatting, "Dean?" as her eyes locked on him. He was a sight for sore eyes, that was for sure. Throwing down the washcloth, Peyton exited the bar area to meet Dean where he stood out on the empty dance floor. Launching herself into his arms, she exclaimed, "I can't believe you're here! I mean when you called I never expected… I never expected _this_."

Her body was shaking with excitement and happiness accompanied with fear, nostalgia and a small twinge of anger. She had dreamt of this day for so long and despite how overwhelming the feeling to kiss him was, the urge to knee him in the groin was stronger.

"So, I guess saying 'Surprise' is pretty futile at this juncture, then?" he joked awkwardly as he held her in his arms. He relished the feeling of having Peyton back in her arms, knowing that it was only a matter of time before her excitement turned to anger.

Slowly Peyton let her arms fall to her side as she muttered, "I've been worried about you, you know." She had witnessed firsthand just how dangerous his job was so maybe worried wasn't the appropriate word to use for what she had been the last few months.

_Terrified_. Yes, terrified seemed more fitting.

She'd been terrified that she'd turn on the news or open up the newspaper one day to find that Dean had died under mysterious circumstances.

"I'm sorry." He knew the apology was moot, but he felt that he had to make it.

When she moved out of his arms, her excitement dissipated while Dean's somberness returned. "You never called," Peyton murmured, locking eyes with Dean. She was glad to see the sadness lurking in his green eyes.

Well, not glad. More like relieved. At least he felt bad. He should.

Dean let out a deep sigh, saying, "I never knew what to say." And it was true. He hadn't known what to say.

"No, your letter pretty much said everything that you couldn't," she snipped, grateful that he focused his attention elsewhere. She didn't know what she would've said had he looked at her with those big, vulnerable eyes of his. "I mean, was it too much to ask that you just call to say that you were alive?" she asked as she turned her back on him to stalk back towards the bar.

"Come on, Peyton, don't be that way," Dean begged, following her to the bar. It was weird to be back inside TRIC and not have a stupid hot pink band on his wrist. He wondered if they'd for some reason changed the color.

"What way?" she snapped, spinning around to trap him in a hazel-heated gaze. "You made me care about you and then you just up and left Dean! You knew what that would do to me."

"I'm sorry. I had to go. I had to…," he trailed off when Peyton cut him off.

"I know, I know," she said sarcastically, interrupting him. "You have an obligation to your family. Yeah, I know. You've told me. Well, you know what? I understand and it's fine. I'm flattered that you stopped by and I'm glad that you're okay. It was nice to see you again," she said offhandedly, turning back around to fight the flood of tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. She had spent way too many nights crying and she refused to do so in front of him. She would be stronger than that. She would. She had to be.

"You're ordering me away?"

"It isn't like you'll stay for long anyway."

"_Peyton_…," Dean whispered, watching Peyton's movements carefully. She leaned against the bar, breathing heavily, doing everything in her power not to meet his gaze. However, when her eyes met his for a second he could see how much she was hurting. How much he had hurt her.

"I put up with it the last time, Dean because I had no choice. I needed someone to fill that void in my heart and you did… for a little while at least. But one night with you isn't enough. Especially not after all the months we've spent apart."

He moved to meet her behind the bar. Grabbing her arms, he turned her so that they were face to face. "I'm here for a little while, Peyton. A few days… possibly a few weeks. It's what I can give you--_now_. We both knew that when we met that this wasn't going to be some big whirlwind romance. Not that I wouldn't like it to be," he said reaching out to touch her cheek.

He took a breath, watching as her eyes softened, then saddened. He brushed his lips against her forehead before his head touched hers to whisper, "I knew that when I came back it'd have to be longer than one night. That's why I'm only coming back now. I've left a lot of people behind over the years but leaving you is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do."

With a slight shake of her head, Peyton's eyes met his again her voice thick with emotion as she asked, "Then, why come back at all? Why torture us both when all you're going to do is leave again?"

Dean offered Peyton a faint smile, confessing, "Because having you even for a little while is better than not having you at all."


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Swept to Ruin  
Fandom: One Tree Hill/Supernatural  
Genres: Angst, Romance, Crossover  
Pairing: Dean/Peyton  
Spoilers: One Tree Hill, "Over the Hills and Far Away"; Supernatural, "Provenance"  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't 'em. Wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself if I did.  
Summary: Sequel to Come What May/Split Second. Takes place five months after Dean left Tree Hill. Dean's back, accompanied by Sam this time around and while the brothers wreak havoc on the hearts of the Tree Hill females, a murder mystery keeps them occupied.

**Swept to Ruin - Chapter Two**

Silence had fallen between them easily, neither of them knowing what to say after Dean's heartfelt words. He didn't wax poetic normally so he had no idea where the words had come from, but there were out now.

And they were true. So very true.

It was the closest he'd come to coming out and telling her that he loved her. But he always stumbled over those words. He couldn't even tell his own brother that he loved him. He had serious issues, that much was for sure.

As he followed Peyton out of TRIC, Dean had already made up his mind that he was going to return to the hotel for the night. He and Peyton had way too much to talk through and chances were that they were not going to sort through all of their problems in the span of one night.

They had yet to talk about the last six months and what the other had been doing. It was a conversation that he didn't want to have for fear that she had moved on. But she certainly would've told him if she had. Wouldn't she?

He followed her back to her house across town. It was an unnecessary gesture, but it was one that he felt compelled to see through. He wanted to make sure that she got home safely before he returned to the hotel to share a bed with his brother. Oh, the horror.

But as he stood on the sidewalk with Peyton saying his goodbyes, he wasn't prepared for her to extend an invitation inside. It took him a little off guard but he accepted graciously.

"Oh, I should probably warn you…," Peyton began as she unlocked the door. The second Peyton swung open the front door, out flew a barking Yorkie. The dog must've sensed that Peyton was in danger and Dean was the culprit because it's sharp teeth began nipping away at his ankles. "Dex! No!" Peyton yelled at the furry animal. "Bad puppy!"

Dean watched with wide eyes as the dog cowered back, whimpering as Peyton bent to scoop him up into her arms. "Sorry about that. He just doesn't recognize you," Peyton told Dean as she pushed through the door, leading him into the house.

"Since when do you have a dog?" Dean asked, closing the door behind himself as he glared at the dog wearily.

"Dex doesn't bite," Peyton told him, flipping on lights as she made her way through the house. She quickly dropped her purse onto the floor, then began making her way toward the kitchen. "I don't know what got into him. He's usually so well mannered."

Dean followed Peyton to the kitchen, watching as she made quick work of fixing the dog's food. "So Dex, huh?"

Peyton made a noise that was a cross began a laugh and a snort as she set Dex down onto the floor in front of his bowl of food. Standing up, she moved to the sink to wash her hands as she told him, "He was a present from Lucas and Haley. Haley and I racked our brains to give him the perfect name and since we were still mad at you his name is a homage to you."

"How so?"

Turning around to face him, she drawled, "Well… his name is a combination of Dean and Dick, which was what Haley and I thought of you after you left."

"Uh… thanks?"

Peyton fondly remembered her and Haley's gabfests regarding Dean. Her reaction to him leaving wasn't nearly as bad as Jake's but it was bad enough as Haley and Lucas had told her. The difference between Jake and Dean was that something had developed between her and Dean whereas things with Jake hadn't fully formed yet when he'd taken off.

Peyton laughed at him then. "I'm not really sure how Dex came out of it, but we liked it and I don't know… it fits," she said glancing at her dog.

Dean snorted. "Nice. Should I be… I don't know, _flattered_?"

Peyton grinned at him, shrugging slightly as she said, "That's totally your prerogative."

Dean stared at the dog as it paused from eating to pierce him with it's dark eyes. Dex moved his head, obviously studying Dean, then returned to it's food.

He wondered what had prompted Lucas and Haley to buy Peyton a dog. Was she lonely? Was it for protection? Had it been a lame attempt to lift her spirits after he'd abandoned her? Perhaps it wasn't about him at all. Had it been to cheer her up after Ellie's passing?

For some reason that seemed like the most logical circumstance. But it still didn't make him feel any better that Lucas had bought her something that she had fallen in love with.

This wasn't a territorial thing. Not in the least. And it wasn't that he wanted to outdo Lucas because it wasn't as if they were competing for Peyton's heart. Because they weren't.

_Or were they?_

Shaking his head in disgust at his line of thought, Dean returned his attention to Peyton who was cradling Dex in her arms. Peyton obviously adored her dog. How could he begrudge Lucas for buying her something that she loved.

Well, he couldn't. And he wouldn't. He'd get over his jealousy. He had to especially if there was any chance that he could work things out with Peyton.

"I've never had a dog named after me," he told her, stuffing a hand into his pants pocket.

Peyton smirked, "There's a first time for everything." Eyeing him cautiously, she asked, "Are you going to be okay if I let him down?"

Dean nodded his head, watching the dog cautiously as Peyton bent and let him jump out of her arms and onto the floor. Dex took one look at him then turned and ran out the door, disappearing somewhere beyond the kitchen. "I take it that he doesn't like his namesake. Well, I'm not his biggest fan either," he said jiggling the foot that Dex had attacked earlier.

"He probably didn't like your smell or something."

"Hey!" he exclaimed, resenting the implication that her dog was repulsed by his smell.

"I didn't say that _I _didn't like it, just that _he _didn't." Stifling a yawn, she said, "I'm gonna take Dex out and while I do that you can go upstairs and shower."

"Ah ha!" Dean declared, pointing his finger at her. "You do think I stink."

Peyton couldn't help but giggle. "Quit being such a drama queen, Dean. It was merely a _suggestion_."

"Oh. Well, then…," he trailed off, eyes locking with hers. "You know, Peyton… I-I should probably go," he stammered, nodding his head towards the door. Leaving was the last thing he wanted to do, but he didn't want to push her into anything that they weren't ready for. She needed to get past her anger first. And he wanted her to get past it.

"Oh. Yeah. Of course," she rambled as Dean led the way out of the kitchen. Disappointment crept into her bones, accompanied with a twinge of fear that he would leave tonight and it would be the last time she'd see him. She knew it was just her paranoia, but she couldn't shake that fear.

Maybe it was the overwhelming feeling that Dean was back and she didn't want to spend a second away from him. They'd been apart for five months and neither of them knew what had happened to the other during their time apart.

She had so many questions to ask him and so many things to tell him and yet she had no idea where to start. She was at loss for words on what to say to him and how to say it. She and Dean used to be able to talk so freely with one another, but now…

"We'll finish talking tomorrow," he told her as they stopped in the foyer.

As Dean reached for the door handle, Peyton exclaimed, "Dean wait!" She didn't waste a moment to internalize the thoughts running through her head, quickly spatting, "Stay here."

A bit taken aback, Dean blurted out, "What?"

Peyton gnawed on her bottom lip, second guessing herself before she asked, "Where else are you going to stay? In your car?"

Shrugging awkwardly, he said, "There's hotels. There's Luke's."

"Luke's out of town." The disappointed look that washed over Dean's face amused her for some reason. "He's due back tomorrow at some point, though," she assured him, knowing without a doubt that besides her and Haley that Lucas would be the other person that he'd most want to see. "Look, Dean…," she began.

"Peyton, I'm not skipping town."

"I didn't think you were." He eyed her skeptically. Funny how despite the fact that he'd been out of her life for months that he still knew her just as good as she knew herself. Maybe better. "Okay. Maybe I did think you were," she relented. "But just a little."

"You have every right to be cautious after the way…"

"We're not going to pick up right where you left off."

"I was waiting for a dig and there it is," he said, running a hand across his face.

"You had to know I was going to stick it to you sooner or later," she teased.

"And I was hoping for later. _Much _later," he confessed. He knew that she wasn't going to make coming back easy. But she could be treating him a lot worse than she was. Then again maybe she was just taking it easy on him because she was tired. For all he knew tomorrow he could get a severe tongue lashing.

Peyton smiled at him through her snicker as she told him, "Look, we can't change anything that's happened. Or hasn't happened, for that matter. Like you said, you're here now. I'm just simply offering you a place here. I don't want you to have to go and rent a hotel room when you can save your money and stay here. And to be honest I don't want to be alone."

He didn't dare tell her that he'd already rented a room and that his baby brother was there. He'd save that conversation for tomorrow. Her plea for company did not escape him, either. Perhaps it was the sole reason he changed his mind altogether. Objecting no further, he said, "Okay, but only if you let me take Dex out."

"No, it's okay, I'll just…," Peyton began to object remembering her dog's fondness for chewing at Dean's ankles.

But Dean cut her off protests. "Hey, it's the least I can do if you're going to put me up for the night. I honestly don't mind. Besides you're pretty much dead on your feet." Pointing at the stairs, he commanded, "Go upstairs and get ready for bed, Peyton."

Knowing that arguing with Dean would be futile, she decided not to. "Okay, but first…," she trailed off, spinning around to the dresser behind her for Dex's leash. Pulling the drawer open, she extracted the leash then turned back around to hand it to Dean. "And just so you know, he'll pull you a block or so until he finds a spot to his liking. He's little but he's strong."

Peyton summoned Dex so that she could put on his leash. "When you get back just turn off the lights and lock up. Dex will go to his room and then you can just… come up to bed," she said, her eyes slowing meeting his as she handed him Dex's leash.

"Peyton, I don't think…," he started to argue, his fingers brushing across hers as he took hold of the dog's leash.

"Don't."

Dean cleared his throat, choking out, "So, I'll just…," as he nodded his head toward the door. But his feet didn't move. Instead he stood staring at Peyton. When Dex barked, Dean snapped his attention down to the dog. "Yeah, come on," he said as he yanked Dex's chain and made his way toward the door, chancing a look backwards as Peyton made her way upstairs.

---

After his walk with Dex, Dean had made sure the dog was settled in it's room before he made the trek upstairs to Peyton's room. He lingered in the doorway, staring at her still form, wondering if coming back had been the right decision.

Storming back into her life for at the very least a few weeks wasn't fair. But what he knew was right in his head and what he knew was right in his heart were two completely different things.

He loved this girl. He just wish he had enough courage to tell her that.

Pushing himself away from the door, he ambled over to the bed. He quickly stripped down to his boxers, then climbed into bed beside her.

He laid on his back, staring at the ceiling, his eyes not willing to look at the walls, fearing what new art adorned the walls. He knew all too well that when Peyton got emotional, it drove her artwork. He could only imagine what his leaving her had let her to sketch or paint or… whatever.

Turning onto his side to face the wall, he stared at Peyton's wall, unable to make out any words on her art pieces. He had figured that Peyton was already asleep, unprepared when she began to speak. "I used to stay up waiting for you to call, you know. Deep down I knew you wouldn't but it didn't stop me from hoping. I'd lie here and watch the clock and wait. Until Ellie died. And then I stopped waiting."

Dean was at a loss for words. "I'm sorry, Peyton."

"Not to sound snippy, but you know, Dean, that doesn't mean much."

"I know," he whispered, knowing that she had every right to be snippy with him. He hated that the sadness was so present in her voice. When he closed his eyes he could picture in her lying in bed watching the clock as she waited for a phone call that never came. And his guilt over leaving deepened. "I wanted to call. I even tried a few times but knew that if I talked to you I'd just want to come back… and… _I couldn't_."

Peyton was silent for a few moments, ignoring the tears stinging her eyes. "Well, in this case, the thought doesn't count," she told him before she bid him goodnight to focus on sleep.

---

The first thing Peyton realized as she woke was that she was alone. She frowned as she sat up looking for any remaining signs of Dean. Seeing none, she threw back the covers, planting her feet on the floor as she stretched. She slid from the bed, crossing her room to the bathroom.

Flipping on the bathroom light, she was assaulted by steam from the shower. Wet towels were strewn about the floor as well as Dean's discarded clothes from the night before. Peyton couldn't help smile as she crossed to the sink.

As she reached for her toothbrush she realized that Dean has placed his in the cup with hers. She stood for a few moments relishing in the sight before her. It was weird to have someone else's toothbrush sitting in the same cup as hers. It was something that she could get used to seeing even though she knew deep down that it wasn't something that would or even could happen.

After she'd washed her face, brushed her teeth and smoothed the remaining vestiges of sleep from her hair, she padded down stairs where she found Dean sitting on the living room sofa with Dex curled in his lap, engaged in Saturday morning cartoons.

"Hey…," she greeted him smoothly. She felt awful from their conversation the night before. She was tired and still coming to grips with him being back. She didn't want to spend his entire time in town being snippy with him, especially since she knew that he'd left with good reason in the first place.

Dean lifted his eyes away from the television to look up at her. "Morning," he said, returning her smile. He watched wearily as she lingered in the doorway, wondering if they were going to talk about their conversation from the night before. Not that he was in any kind of hurry to talk about what a sucky boyfriend he was.

"Mmm, what time is it?"

"Just after ten," he said, openly staring at her, his mouth agape as he slowly realized that she was wearing _his _shirt. Not just any shirt. His favorite shirt. Well… it was his favorite shirt _now_ for no other reason than she looked beyond gorgeous in it. Plus, it barely covered her so… you do the math. Hey, he was a guy and… _him_.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked, keeping her position at the door. Maybe asking him to stay had been too forward. If last night was any indication, she was a ways from forgiving Dean from leaving. Though deep down she knew that he hadn't actually abandoned her, he had abandoned their relationship. Apparently, he meant more to her than she meant to him and that was one of the things that angered her the most.

"A while. I heard the little guy barking up a storm and clawing at the door so I got up to let him out," he told her, rubbing Dex's head.

"I'm sorry he woke you."

Dean shook his head. "Nah, he didn't. I was awake watching you sleep."

Peyton couldn't help but blush. At least he said he was _watching _her and not _listening _to her. Yeah, that would've been awkward if she'd been talking in her sleep. Not that Dean hadn't heard her before. Her head was so jumbled that she couldn't be positive that she didn't say anything damning.

"You know, you can come and sit next to me. I don't bite. I mean, unless you want me to," he teased with his signature smirk, wondering where he'd found the gumption to flirt with her.

Peyton rolled her eyes, glad for Dean's attempt to lighten the mood. "Are you hungry?"

"I could go for some food," he said rising from the sofa, following her toward the kitchen.

"What are you hungry for?" Peyton asked, making a beeline for the refrigerator once they'd entered the kitchen.

"What do you have?"

She huffed at him. "Are you gonna answer a question with a question all day?" she snapped. They were both taken aback at her snappish tone so she took a deep, calming breath before she opened her mouth again. "It would just be easier if you told me what you wanted."

"Peyton, you don't have to make this big fuss over me. I'm a big boy, you know. I'm capable of making my own meals."

She closed the refrigerator, spinning around to lock him in her gaze. "I know that. I just…" He took a step toward her. "…I like fawning over you. How often do I get to do it?"

He reached out for her, but she moved out of his grasp quickly. "No… just… _don't_, okay? This is my thing."

Dean ran a hand through his tousled hair. "This thing caused by me just dropping in on you."

"I'm glad you're here, Dean," she reassured him. So maybe she didn't seem like she was glad to see him. But she was. She really and truly was.

"Are you?" he asked since he wasn't convinced.

"Of course. I know last night didn't seem like it, but I am. I was just… I was tired and I just needed you to know that even though you were gone, I didn't give up on you."

"I didn't give up on you, either, Peyton. I know it was wrong to leave you wondering, but you're my weakness. If I had kept in touch with you my search for my dad would've become nonexistent." The fact that she had yet to touch him, to even try to kiss him, had not gone unnoticed. He didn't expect them to fall straight into bed but he had hoped for a little physical contact, even the slightest bit, but… _nada_. "You may not have given up on me, but you're hesitant to get close to me again."

Peyton averted her gaze, hating that he knew her innermost thoughts. Yes, she was hesitant to get close to him again. Look where that had gotten her the last time.

Dean wasn't easily deterred, though. "Look, Peyton, if you're scared that I'm just gonna up and leave again, rest assured that I'm not gonna do that. I have nothing pulling me away this time."

"Maybe not today, Dean, but when? Next week? Next month? You'll read the paper or watch the news and some weird occurrence will have you scampering off for God knows where and I'll be in the same place I've been--alone left to wonder if you're still alive."

"But you're not alone. You have Lucas," he muttered without realizing the implications of his words.

"Oh, don't you even start playing the jealous boyfriend card on me, Dean Winchester because you have no right!"

Dean blinked at her, then began crossing the room toward her. "Sue me for giving a damn, Peyton. Am I jealous of Lucas? Hell yes. And not just because the two of you had a thing at one time…" At her confused look he added, "Because he gets to be here with you when I can't be."

"Well, whose fault is that?" she snarked.

"Mine," he murmured. "And you aren't letting me forget it."

She crossed her arms across her chest which sent Dean into a tizzy as the already short shirt crept up higher exposing more skin of her thighs. He swallowed. His heart, his head and his libido were all screaming at him. And none of them had the same thoughts. "And do you have to look so fucking gorgeous in my shirt? You're making it hard for me to be mad at you!"

Peyton felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment even as she smirked with glee. She had worn Dean's shirt nearly every night since he'd left. It was the one reminder of him besides her memories of their times together that she had and held onto.

"I'm sorry," she finally said, weakening. She could never stay mad at Dean for long. Even after he had escaped during the middle of the night, she was never really mad at him. She knew that he wasn't abandoning _her_. He had a job to do and nothing was going to stand in his way. But still she was miffed that he had left and not _said _goodbye. And now that he was back, those fears that she'd put to rest long ago had resurfaced. She was always scared that he'd return and leave again, taking with him a part of her heart that she wouldn't ever get back. "I'm just… I'm scared, Dean."

"Of what, Peyton? Of me?"

She shook her head. "No not of you. Never of you. Just…." Peyton stumbled over her words in an attempt to put her actual feelings into words. She didn't want to spend his entire time in town being mad at him for issues that were hers and hers alone. "It's just how you make me feel and how I feel with you… I feel… I feel happy when you're around and not so happy when you're not. I want to be happy all the time. When you're here… when you're not here… and there's this one tiny selfish part of me that just wants you here all of the time."

As he started to interrupt, she continued, "And I know that if you could be here all of the time that you would be. I understand this quest that you're on, I do. I guess I just always hoped that I meant more to you…"

"Peyton…," the word came out as a growl of disbelief. "You mean more to me than you could ever know. That's why I kept you out of it. I never called because I wanted to protect you. The things that I fight… it's not the stuff fairytales are made of. You know that better than anyone. They're scary and, more times than not, dangerous. If I'm being a prick because I wanted to keep you safe then so be it. But don't ever accuse me of not caring about you."

"I never…"

"I never should have gotten involved with you in the first place but you wormed yourself into my heart and as much as I hate to admit it… I like having you there." Grabbing her hands, he said, "I'm here for you now so stop being stubborn and let me in."

Her hands flattened against his bare chest as she whispered, "I just hate when you leave."

Peyton leaned her head against his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him. "I know," he told her as he hugged her close.

"You spoil me when you're around," she mumbled against his neck, wondering why she had denied this in the first place. She chalked it up to fear of Dean leaving her so abruptly again.

He pressed kisses along her collarbone, lifting his head long enough to respond, "That's what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to spoil your girl, especially when you aren't an everyday fixture in her life."

Peyton bit her lip to stave off the biting remark wanting to make it's way out. Instead, she told him as she made a play for the refrigerator once more, "You know, even though it's Saturday we can't stay dressed like this all day long."

"Why the hell not?" Dean asked, scratching his chest as he settled at the table.

"Because once my friends find out that you're here, then _they'll _be here." She peered into the refrigerator, perusing the contents. Snapping up the carton of orange juice, she kicked the door closed, setting the carton on the countertop as she reached into the cupboard to extract two glasses. When she spun around, Dean was standing behind her at the coffeepot, pouring himself a fresh cup of coffee.

Knowing Dean's fixation with the beverage, she returned the cups to the cupboard, suddenly in the mood for coffee herself. She handed Dean a coffee mug while she returned the O.J. back to the refrigerator.

As Peyton had just sat down at the table Dean called for Dex. The dog ran into the kitchen, stopping at Dean's feet. With Dex in tow, Dean made his way out the back door.

Curious, Peyton stood up and followed him, leaning against the doorjamb as he settled on the swing while Dex ran out into the backyard chasing after a chew toy that Dean had thrown out into the yard. When Dean realized that he wasn't alone, he looked at her, then patted the spot beside him, inviting her to join him.

Settling down beside him, she said, "It's going to take some time."

"Yeah, I know it is," he said, taking a sip from his coffee cup. "I didn't expect that we'd pick up exactly where we left off, Peyton. I knew I'd have to do some groveling."

"Dean Winchester does not grovel," she pointed out.

Dean grinned at her, saying, "No, maybe he doesn't, but he'll make an exception in this case."

"Can you tell me about what you've been doing for the last few months? I mean, did you find your father? Is he okay? Where is he?" she asked in a ongoing flurry of questions. "I wanted to ask you the moment I saw you, but the urge to pummel you to death was greater than knowing what you've spent the last few months doing."

Dean expelled a deep breath, then told her, "That… that's a long story. And thank you for curbing that impulse by the way."

"You're welcome. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Dean looked at her, shaking his head. "No, it's not that I don't want to. It's just… a lot has happened since I left Tree Hill."

"Like what?"

Staring down into his coffee cup, Dean said, "Peyton… there's something that you need to know."

Peyton's hands tightened around her coffee cup, slowly preparing herself for the worst. "Why does my blood run cold when those words escape your mouth?"

"No, it's nothing like that. It's just… I'm not here alone. In Tree Hill, I mean." Peyton turned her head to look at him, not expecting him to say, "Sam's here with me."

"Sam?" she repeated. "Like your brother Sam?"

Dean nodded his head. "The one and only."

Excited, she turned to him, asking, "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

Dean shrugged. "I didn't think it was relevant until now."

"Well, where is he?" she asked as Dex ran up to meet them carrying his duck chew toy in his mouth. Dean plucked the duck out of Dex's mouth, then threw it back into the yard, watching as the dog took off at full speed to retrieve it.

"He's at a hotel downtown."

"And you left him there!" she exclaimed, smacking his arm.

"I see you. I had to make things right first."

Peyton blushed. He'd been her first priority. Aww. It was almost enough to make her forgive him for the last six months. _Almost_. "Will I get to meet him?"

"Of course. I mean… if you want to."

"Of course I want to. He's your brother," she said as Dean stood up from the swing. "Does he know…?"

With a shake of his head, Dean stated, "He doesn't know that you know about our mother and what we do. He also doesn't know about New Orleans and I'd like to keep that between just the two of us for as long as possible."

"You mean between us and Lucas and Haley and…"

He glared at her. "You know what I meant," he told her as she moved to stand beside him. She situated herself into his arms, saying, "This is exciting."

"What's that?"

"Meeting your brother."

Dean scoffed, "Don't expect much, Peyton. Sam's not the liveliest person to be around. Or the chattiest."

"Neither are you, Dean," she pointed out as he whistled for Dex. As they made their way back toward the door, she asked, "So is he hot?"

Dean stopped quickly, Peyton ramming into his back. "Who, Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you asking?"

Peyton shrugged, smiling as she teased, "Just want to make sure I'm dating the hotter brother."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Swept to Ruin  
Fandom: One Tree Hill/Supernatural  
Genres: Angst, Romance, Crossover  
Pairing: Dean/Peyton  
Spoilers: One Tree Hill, "Over the Hills and Far Away"; Supernatural, "Provenance"  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't 'em. Wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself if I did.  
Summary: Sequel to Come What May/Split Second. Takes place five months after Dean left Tree Hill. Dean's back, accompanied by Sam this time around and while the brothers wreak havoc on the hearts of the Tree Hill females, a murder mystery keeps them occupied.

**Swept to Ruin: Chapter Three**

Sam checked his watch, shaking his head. Grabbing his phone off the table, he dialed Dean's cell, not surprised that it went to voicemail once again. He had been calling his brother since the night before to no avail. He had no doubt that his brother was with Peyton, but still he wouldn't mind knowing _for sure_.

Grabbing his keys, he headed out of the hotel room for some much needed fresh air. He made his way down the pier, stopping to watch the boats docking in the harbor.

Sam quickly veered away from the river front, making his way toward the town. His stomach was churning and the first place that he spotted was a small café on the main strip. It seemed like as good a place as any -- and probably was the most affordable.

Walking in, Sam mused that the establishment must be the teenage hangout since the majority of the occupants appeared to be high school students. He made a beeline for the counter, slipping onto a stool. Moments later a blonde girl approached him, asking, "What can I get ya?"

"Uh… a cup of coffee for starters."

It was eight o'clock and he was drinking coffee. No, that wasn't odd at all. The girl behind the counter didn't seem to pay much attention to it anyhow. She set a coffee mug in front of him, then filled it with fresh coffee, inquiring as to if he wanted anything else. Sam politely shook his head, choosing to mull over the menu first.

The menu, however, was quickly forgotten as he laid eyes on the thick yellow phonebook sitting a few feet away. He reached for it, opening it up to peruse the residential pages even though he had no idea who it was he was looking for.

"It would've been nice if Dean would've left me with Peyton's last name," he muttered under his breath, slamming the book shut as the bouncy blonde waitress reappeared. Sam read her name tag, noting her name.

_Haley_.

"Can I get you anything else? Another cup of coffee perhaps?"

Sam shook his head. "Nah. I'm okay."

The girl cocked her head to the side studying him for a second. "You sure you okay?"

Sam thrummed his fingers against his coffee cup, saying, "Yeah. Just… my brother abandoned me for his girlfriend."

"That sucks."

"Except, you know, I don't even know if this girl _is _his girlfriend. I mean, we've been… road tripping… for the last six months and I didn't even know that she existed." Sam paused for a second, continuing, "He didn't mention her once. Not once. And then out of the blue he says that we're going to North Carolina so that he can see her."

"That's harsh," she said, turning away from the counter to replace the coffee pot on the burner.

Sam scoffed. "That's Dean."

Haley froze, then turned around quickly, her skin humming at the thought that this guy could be talking about Dean. _Peyton's Dean. _"Dean?" she echoed. "Your brother's name is Dean?"

Sam nodded his head, eyeing her curiously. "Yeah."

Haley approached the counter, taking a moment to give the boy across from her a once over. "And your name is…?"

"Sam," they both said at the same time.

Sam's eyes widened, querying, "How'd you know that?"

The last thing he'd expected was for her to declare, "I know your brother."

---

Sam had spent the previous afternoon with Haley who had told him what he'd wanted to know about his brother's relationship with Peyton. She didn't give away very many details because she told him that if Dean wanted him to know then he would tell the story in due time.

Dean had, according to Haley, fought his feelings for Peyton. She was younger than him and his brother had been hesitant to pursue her based on exactly that fact. Sam guessed that Dean's inability to stay in one place also contributed to his fight.

Sam knew that there were certain parts of the story that Haley left out purposefully, but he didn't question her for more than she was willing to give. In the span of an afternoon a stranger had provided him with more insight to his brother than Dean had in the six months that they'd spent on the road together.

_Why did Dean open to everyone else but not him?_

Standing in front of the two story brick colonial style home, Sam readjusted his backpack on his shoulder. "So this is it," he muttered, turning around to look at the Impala that was parked beside the curb.

What if she answered the door? What could he possibly say to her? But what if Dean answered the door? What would he say to his brother? 'Why the fuck did you leave me alone at the hotel?' seemed to be at the forefront of his thoughts, though.

But before he could move an inch, he heard the sound of a dog barking from somewhere off in the distance. He turned in the direction of the barking just as a girl with curly blonde hair was being dragged up the sidewalk by a very small dog.

And just his luck, she was headed in his direction.

Peyton eyed the guy standing on her lawn, wondering who he was and what he was doing there. Dex seemed not to be as curious as her since his first thought was to attack. She wound his leash around her wrist, pulling him hard to keep him steady beside her so that he didn't do any harm to the man until she found out who he was and what he wanted. "Can I help you?"

Haley had said she was pretty, but even with no makeup on and dressed in sweat pants and a Led Zeppelin T-shirt that Sam recognized as Dean's she was still breathtaking.

Sam continued to eye for a few moments longer before blurting out, "Uh, yeah… I'm uh… you're Peyton, right?"

"Depends on who wants to know." God, he looked familiar for some reason. Why did she feel like she knew him when it was obvious that she didn't?

"I'm sorry. You must think I'm just some freak off the street," Sam said, extending his hand out to her. "I'm Sam Winchester. Dean's…"

"… Dean's brother," she finished for him.

_Sam_.

She couldn't believe her eyes. Dean's brother was _actually _standing before her. In a fit of excitement, she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Sam, you have no idea how good it is to finally meet you." Realizing that she was hugging a complete stranger, she stepped back, blushing. "I'm sorry. It's just… Dean has told me so much about you. I feel like I know you."

Sam politely smiled at her as he said, "I wish I could say the same, Peyton, but he only recently told me about you." He wanted to kick himself when her face fell. Obviously she wasn't aware that Dean had kept her a secret. Sam wondered what else his brother had kept to himself.

Peyton was a bit shell shocked that Sam hadn't found out about her until recently but knew how private a person Dean was. "I'm sure Dean had a reason for not telling you about me. He's not the chattiest person in the world to begin with," Peyton said yanking Dex's leash as she began to approach the house.

"No, I guess he's not," Sam said, falling into step behind Peyton.

"Dean's still sleeping, but you're more than welcome to join me for breakfast. It'll give us some time to talk before he wakes," she told him as she unlocked the door. Pausing, she turned to look at him, saying, "I mean, unless you don't want to."

Sam shook his head. "No, no. That sounds nice. It's why I'm here actually."

Pushing open the door, Peyton ushered Dex inside as she told Sam, "Good. Because there was no way I was taking no for an answer."

---

Dean woke slowly, the sunlight streaming in from the open curtains. Groaning, he reached out for Peyton only to find the bed empty beside him. Lifting his head, he called out, "Peyton?" but there was no sign of her.

He slipped out of the bed and was crossing the room to the bathroom when he heard Peyton's laughter from downstairs. Moving to the door instead, he moved to stand at the top of the stairs to eavesdrop.

"… you let me worry about Dean. If he has a problem with you being here he'll just have to take it up with me."

"What the…," Dean scoffed from his perch on the stairs. He had just begun to think that Peyton was simply talking on the phone when he heard the male voice.

"He came back because he missed you and if I'm going to interfere with him spending some time alone with you…"

"It can't be…," Dean murmured as he began to descend the stairs. He quickly made his way toward the kitchen, the male guest sitting with his back to the doorway. He'd recognize the back of that head anywhere.

"Well, well, well… speaking of the devil," Peyton said, smiling as Dean breezed into the kitchen. "We have a guest," Peyton told him as he stopped to greet her good morning with a kiss to her cheek before he moseyed on over to the coffee pot.

"Sammy, I can't say I'm surprised to see you," Dean said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Well, in my defense you did leave me alone in a hotel room. Did you expect me to just stay there like a good little puppy?"

Dean faced his brother, blatantly ignoring Sam's quips. "How'd you get here anyway?"

"I stole a car," Sam said with a roll of his eyes.

"I hope you left a note."

"Seriously, tell me that you two are not going to do this whole macho bravado thing because if you are you can both sleep outside in your car." Peyton directed her words at Dean who was being the bigger of two asses.

They each nodded their heads as Sam said, "I talked to a girl at a café in town."

Before Dean could throw a hissy fit, Peyton told him, "Relax. He talked to Haley."

Dean joined Peyton and Sam at the table, asking, "So what'd Haley have to say?"

Sam shook his head. "Not much. I asked about Peyton mostly since you refused to tell me anything about your girlfriend." He paused a beat, then asked, "Is she your girlfriend? Because you never made that clear."

Peyton turned to look at Dean, crossing her arms on the table as she sat forward, asking, "Yeah Dean. Am I your girlfriend?"

Dean coughed, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Instead of answering, he evaded the question, choosing to change the subject entirely. "So how _is _Haley?"

Peyton smiled despite Dean's complete evasion of her question. Slipping out of her chair, Peyton told him, "She's fine, Dean. You'll see her tonight."

"What's tonight?" he asked, turning in his chair as she made her way to the sink.

Peyton huffed. "I told you last night. The party at Tric."

Dean vaguely remembered her telling him about a party. "Oh. Right. Yeah, I remember now."

"Sam, you're more than welcome to join us tonight," Peyton said, stopping beside Dean's chair to smack him upside the head.

"Why are you smacking me?" Dean asked, batting her hands away while Sam giggled at the game of slap stick between his brother and Peyton.

"You could be a little more cordial to your brother, you know. You _did _leave him across town by himself."

Dean rolled his eyes. What was the big deal with him leaving Sammy alone at the hotel? It wasn't like Sam couldn't take care of himself. Okay, so he'd deserted his brother in an unfamiliar town. He'd done it before. And why had Peyton taken it upon herself to be Sam's savior? "Are the two of you going to be constantly throwing that back at me?"

"Until it gets old, yes," Peyton smirked at him. "Will you play nice while I go shower?"

Dean bobbed his head in affirmation. "Promise."

After Peyton had exited the room, Sam asked, "Dean, how long are we going to be here?"

Dean reclined back in his chair, confessing, "I'm not sure, Sam, but I know that I'm no where near ready to leave."

"But hunting… Dad…"

"If something comes up, then, yes we'll look into it, but for now I need to be here. Maybe you don't understand that… maybe you can't, but it is what it is. But if you want to go hunting, be my guest. Take the car. Do what ails you. Just know that I'm not leaving."

Sam sighed. "Alright. _Alright_. If you feel that you have to stay, then we'll stay."

"Thank you."

"So… what _is _there to do in this town?"

---

Sam's eyes roamed around TRIC as he and Dean stood at the bar, watching the people around them bustle back and forth between the dance floor and the bar. "So Peyton actually works here?"

"Yeah." Spinning around to order a fresh drink from the bartender, Dean confessed to Sam, "This was actually where we met."

Sam snapped his eyes to his brother, wondering if he was hearing things. Had his brother just divulged a pertinent piece of information? Dean had told him without Sam having to use subterfuge to get it. _Amazing_.

"You don't say."

Dean nodded as he placed his order for a fresh beer. "I came with Haley and Lucas, but I spent the entire night talking to her at the bar. She was working and I don't know… I felt like this high school boy again."

"How come you never mentioned her before?"

Dean sighed. He didn't want to talk about this, but he assumed that he had no choice. He didn't want his brother thinking that he enjoyed hiding things from him and he certainly didn't want Peyton being under the impression that she meant nothing to him. "Mostly because of Jessica."

"Dean…." Sam had feared that had been one of Dean's reasons.

"You were grieving and it would've been rude and insensitive to say 'Well, you know what, Sam, there's this girl that I left back in North Carolina that I really like'."

Sam nearly choked on his drink. "That you _really like_?" he echoed. "Seriously, Dean?"

"Well… I do… like her, I mean."

"That's it?" Sam questioned, flabbergasted. "You _love _your car, but you _like _your girlfriend?"

The waitress returned, placing Dean's beer on the counter before him. He dug a few bucks out of his pocket, throwing them onto the bar. Snatching up his beer, he walked away from his brother, completely disregarding Sam's question.

He wasn't good at expressing his emotions. He bottled them up until he reached a breaking point. He wasn't at that point yet, but, yes, he did love Peyton. He just wasn't ready to let Sam or anyone else -- least of all Peyton -- privy to that information. He'd tell her when the time was right.

Suddenly Peyton sidled between them, linking her arms through theirs. "So, Sam, you ready for the tour?"

"Uh… sure."

Peyton laughed. "Please do contain your excitement."

"Hey, I didn't get a tour!" Dean objected as Peyton disengaged her arm from his, holding on tightly to Sam's.

Peyton jabbed a finger into Dean's arm. "Of course you did. But you chose to make out in the storage room instead."

Dean chuckled. "Oh, right. I forgot about that."

Sam remained silent, watching his brother interact with Peyton. Dean could deny it all he wanted, but Sam could see it easily. His brother loved Peyton.

"Behave yourself while we're gone," Peyton instructed, wagging an accusing finger at him.

Dean pointed to his face. "Is this the face of someone that would misbehave?"

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," Peyton told him as she began to pull Sam away.

Dean watched as Peyton and Sam disappeared to the back of the club, arm in arm talking amongst themselves. At least they were getting along, he thought wryly. Not that he thought that they wouldn't.

"Yo, look what the cat dragged in."

Smirking to himself, Dean knew that when he turned around Skills would be standing behind him. However, when he did turn around he wasn't prepared to find _everyone _standing behind him.

---

Sitting with Dean on one of the red couches, Haley ruffled his hair, saying, "I can't believe you didn't tell us that you were back! I had to find out by meeting your _brother_!"

Dean smacked her hands away, smoothing a hand over his hair as he told her, "Well, who's been annoying me the last few months that I needed to come see my girlfriend?"

"Was that me?"

"Yes it was you. And now you're going to ridicule me for taking your advice. Make up your mind."

Haley dropped her head onto his shoulder, murmuring, "It's really good to see you."

"Yeah, you too."

"Man, enough mushy stuff," Skills interrupted. "We wanna know where ya been for the last few months and whatcha been doing because we know ya ain't been callin' Peyton."

"He just gets straight to the point, doesn't he?" Dean asked Haley even though he'd become familiar with Skills' bluntness during the summer.

"That hasn't changed, Dean, "Haley said, patting his leg.

All of a sudden Skills exclaimed, "Man, Haley! Stop interruptin'! I'm tryin' to talk to the boy and you keep monopolizing the conversation!"

"You're not the only one that hasn't seen him in six months, Skills," Haley pointed out.

"No, but at least you got to talk to him. You and Lucas knew where he was and if he was aight while the rest of us were left to wonder. Peyton didn't even know if he was okay." Skills looked over at Dean, saying, "We cool, dawg, but that was wrong."

Dean nodded his head. "It's okay, Skills. It wasn't fair to keep in touch with Lucas and Haley instead of Peyton. I know that. _Believe me_."

Haley sat forward as she told Skills, "Hey, we didn't ask him to call us. He did it of his own free will and we begged him to call Peyton, but we can control Dean about as much as we can control the way you talk!"

Skills looked at Fergie and Junk, asking, "Man, what's wrong with the way I talk?" Skills rolled his eyes, muttering, "Man, Haley, you be trippin'."

Laughter exploded amongst the friends as Dean nudged Haley asking her where Lucas and Nathan were. "Luke just got back from New York with his mom so he's unpacking, but he should be here later. And Nathan is working, but he promised me that he'd come meet us later so hopefully he does."

Dean averted his attention toward the back of the club where Sam and Peyton were leaving the back entrance. "Well, don't they look cozy," Haley said, motioning to Sam and Peyton as they walked in from backstage, laughing and giggling.

"Dean, I'd watch out if I were you. Looks like little brother is snaking ya woman."

"Yeah, thanks for that, Skills."

Dean pushed himself to his feet and began making his way toward the bar. Haley followed quickly after, stopping first to verbally spank Skills. "Don't listen to him," Haley told Dean as she moved to stand beside him at the bar.

"I'm not," Dean insisted. He gestured to Sam and Peyton who had stopped at the DJ booth to talk to Mouth. He watched the three as they exchanged quips, wondering what they were talking about. "It's just… there's a lot I haven't told them."

Haley followed his line of vision, nodding understandingly. "And now that they're all buddy buddy you think something is going to be said that the other won't know about?" Dean regarded her with a half-smile. "You need to tell her, Dean. Before she finds out from someone else."

"You mean like Skills?" Haley's silence gave him his answer. "Yeah, I know. I just… I don't want her to slug me, you know. I mean, we're finally back in a good place and I don't want to screw it up by actually being honest."

"Perish the thought," Haley said with a laugh. "How'd things go over with Peyton the last time you told the truth?"

Dean sighed, knowing the point that Haley was trying to make. "Yeah, and do you remember how _that _turned out?" He doubted he'd ever stop feeling guilty over the New Orleans fiasco even though there was nothing he could do about it. Peyton had forgiven him, but he hadn't forgiven _himself_.

"Dean, you've got to stop beating yourself up for what happened in New Orleans. You couldn't have known…"

When the girl next to him vacated her stool, Dean slipped onto it as he said, "But I did, Haley. I knew that I could possibly be putting Peyton in danger, but you know what, I didn't care. I didn't think. I could've stood my ground, I could've… but she makes it hard for me to think. All of my rational thinking has just…," he trailed off as he made a circling exploding gesture with his hands that made Haley giggle.

"Peyton has that affect on people. I remember what she did to Lucas…." When Dean snapped his head back at her, scowling, she quickly veered off the subject of the romance that once was between her best two friends.

"Yes, do continue to bring _that _up," Dean snarked, pushing himself to his feet. "That made me feel a whole lot better. Thanks Haley," he said before he turned and stalked away.

---

"I haven't seen you much tonight," Peyton said as she slid into the chair at the bar beside Dean. They'd kept their distance for much of the night while he'd stayed mostly to himself, she had spent the night in Sam's company. Haley had told her earlier that she'd dumbly ticked Dean off and he hadn't spoken to her since so her she was playing miniature detective.

Dean took a long swig of his beer before telling her, "You seemed like you were having fun. I didn't want to impose."

"You should have. We talked about you mostly," she said, nudging his shoulder with hers. "Sam told us this little gem of a story about the time that you were fifteen and your dad walked in on you…," she trailed off, watching as his face reddened with embarrassment.

He turned to her, exclaiming, "He didn't!"

"Oh, but he _did_."

"Man," he whined, turning in his chair to glare at Sam. His brother was too deep in conversation with Fergie and Mouth, however, to notice.

Peyton poked his arm, asking, "So… you wanna tell me what happened between you and Haley? She said that she said something that upset you."

"It was nothing," Dean insisted with a shake of his head. "I'd really rather let it just drop." There was no way in hell that he was sharing his insecurities with Peyton. They were his and his alone.

Lucas was a good friend, but he was still a sore spot for Dean. He was human after all and jealousy was a human emotion. It was one that he couldn't escape and one that he'd dealt with for the past few months.

Lucas and Peyton were closer than any two people that he'd known that weren't in a committed relationship and he'd entertained the thought night after night that whenever he returned to Tree Hill that things would have escalated between the two of them. He kept in contact with Lucas over the months just to keep his overactive imagination in check.

Lucas had never alluded to being more than friends with Peyton, but it still didn't change the past that the two shared. And Dean hated it that it bothered him so much.

Peyton did as told, knowing not to press Dean into talking when he wasn't ready to. "Well, you can't sit here pouting all night. Come on." Grabbing his hand, she pulled him out of his chair and out onto the dance floor. As Peyton wrapped her arms around his neck, she whispered, "Now isn't this better than sulking at the bar."

"It does happen to be an improvement," he agreed cheekily as she sidled closer.

The music changed from a slightly more up tempo song to something more mellow. Peyton glanced toward Mouth who shot her a thumbs up. She smiled at him, mouthing her thanks, then reverted her attention back to Dean as he told her, "I'm glad that you're getting along with Sam."

"I like him," she confessed. "I mean, I knew that I would, but I didn't think I'd like him _so _much, you know?"

Dean looked at her curiously. "How much like are we talking here?"

"Honestly?"

"It was a rhetorical question." Peyton sighed, looking toward Sam and that didn't bode well for Dean. "Yes, honestly. If you don't mind."

Meeting Dean's eyes, she put on a straight face as she told him, "A lot actually. He's tall and gorgeous and…"

"… my _brother_!"

Peyton flattened her hands on Dean's chest, mocking, "You know, that's the only downside."

"Peyton! Seriously?" he exclaimed.

She broke out into a fit of giggles, before she told him, "I'm kidding. I'm _kidding_. You can relax. I only like Sam in the friendly sense. He's in the same category with Lucas and Nathan and Skills and all the other guys in my life."

Dean accepted that, but prompted, "So what category am I in?"

Tightening her arms around his neck, she whispered, "Well, you… you're in a category all by yourself."

Dean grinned at her as he told her, "You know, that wasn't very nice. You gave me a mini-heart attack. I'd hate to think I'd have to kick Sam's ass."

"Ooh, a duel?! _Really_?"

"No."

"Damn," she cursed. Tugging on his shirt, she confessed, "Sam said that he was staying at the hotel until tomorrow night… then he'd come to stay at the house with us."

Dean noted the devious smirk, knowing exactly where she was headed. "Uh huh…," he said, urging her onward.

Looking over Dean's shoulder, she saw that Lucas and Nathan had finally arrived. "I say we say quick hello's to Lucas and Nathan and then we can call it an early night. What do you say?"

"I'd say that if I didn't know any better that you were trying to seduce me."

Peyton laughed as she began pulling Dean away from the dance floor. "Like you'd even have to be seduced."

"Well, you do have a point," he agreed, wrapping an arm around her waist as they made their way over to where Lucas and Nathan were standing with Haley and Skills. "Let's just make this quick, hmm?"


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Swept to Ruin  
Fandom: One Tree Hill/Supernatural  
Pairing: Dean/Peyton  
Spoilers: One Tree Hill, "Over the Hills and Far Away"; Supernatural, "Provenance"  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't 'em. Wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself if I did.  
Summary: Sequel to Come What May/Split Second. Takes place five months after Dean left Tree Hill. Dean's back, accompanied by Sam this time around and while the brothers wreak havoc on the hearts of the Tree Hill females, a murder mystery keeps them occupied. 

**Swept to Ruin: Chapter Four**

_Let's make it quick_, Peyton mused as she sat at the bar, twirling her straw around in her club soda. Yeah. Funny how those words escaped Dean's lips, yet she was the one sitting at the bar waiting for him.

Dean was standing on the other side of TRIC, laughing it up with Nathan, Lucas and the rest of the guys, much to her annoyance.

She had expected him to hit it off with Nathan. After all the two had formed a brotherly bond over the summer to fill the void of being at odds with their own brothers. But perhaps she hadn't expected Dean to forget about their plans in favor of hanging around with the boys. Then again their plans weren't very definitive to begin with. But that was no excuse for him ditching her.

He'd been eager to leave before he started talking to Nate and then the two clicked and that was it. She'd lost her boyfriend forever. Crinkling her nose, she glared at Dean, realizing that they'd never cleared that issue up.

"Not thirsty?"

Peyton glanced to her right as Sam joined her, sliding into the chair next to her. "Not really," she said, motioning to the waitress to come and take her glass. Her drink had watered down and it wasn't like she had actually wanted the drink in the first place.

After the waitress had left with Peyton's glass, her gaze drifted behind them. Sam followed her line of vision, his eyes settling on his brother surrounded by Peyton's group of guy friends. "You'll have to forgive him, he doesn't know what's it like to have friends."

Peyton looked at Sam, opening her mouth to ask the question that had been running through her head for the last few months. At the last minute, however, she shut her mouth wanting the answer to come from Dean instead. She wasn't sure that she wanted to know for certain if Dean had been with any other girls while he'd been away. Pretending to think she knew and would be okay with it if he had was something entirely different than knowing for sure.

"I remember how he was during the summer when we all first met him. He was out of his element, sure, but he became one of us like he was meant to be there," she said fondly remembering the guy that she'd spent the summer with.

That guy had yet to resurface. She knew that Dean was the same but yet he was different. She couldn't quite put her finger on the differences, but they were there. Maybe it was because of what had happened to him during their time apart. If he would talk to her maybe she'd understand, but every time they broached that conversation, Dean would just change the subject.

It reminded her of early in the summer when Dean had kept so much of who he was to himself. She didn't truly know who he was until his last few weeks in town and by then his time had worn thin.

Sam noted the sadness in her voice. Even though he'd been around Peyton and seen her interaction with Dean for just a day it was obvious how much she cared for his brother and just how much Dean's reentry into her life had thrown her for a loop. "I'm sorry that he had to leave."

Peyton flashed Sam a tight smile, murmuring, "Yeah, me too." She sighed, focusing her eyes elsewhere as she told him, "You don't have anything to apologize for, Sam. You weren't even aware that… well, you just didn't know."

Sam shrugged, "Yeah, I know, but I just feel like I should've. I can read Dean better than anyone and… maybe I didn't want to see what was there because of Jessica."

Silence fell between them. Neither knew what to say after that. She knew very little about what happened over the last few months to Dean and Sam, but what she did know was that Sam had lost his girlfriend and according to Dean he'd his priorities had shifted. She hadn't questioned him about that. It wasn't like he would've told her anyway.

"Why didn't you ask him to stay? I'm pretty sure he would have."

Peyton recollected the night that Dean had tried to sneak out after he thought she'd fallen asleep. She had realized on the way back from New Orleans that things were remiss between them. Sure, she'd been ticked off at him for the whole voodoo woman thing, but that she could get over. That she had gotten over.

Well… remotely, anyway.

"I tried to make him stay. I begged and I pleaded with him, but after he got that call from your dad… nothing could've kept him here." She had honestly been glad that he had left. She would've never forgiven herself if something had happened to their father that Dean may have prevented had he gone. "You and your dad mean a lot to him, Sam."

"You mean a lot to him, Peyton."

"But I'm not his family," she reminded him. Sam was ready to continue arguing with her, but luckily he backed down at her last statement. It wasn't like she was lying to him. Dean's loyalty was to his family, first and foremost. His decision to leave, especially given the way that he left, may have wounded her pride just a little, but it wasn't like Dean was just deserting her. He was going to look for his father. "I couldn't ask him to give you up for me."

"But you wanted him to?"

Peyton nodded her head. She wasn't proud to admit that, but it was a truth that she couldn't deny. Sam didn't seem to think less of her, though.

"I knew that there was something he wasn't telling me, but I never thought…" his voice lilted with awkwardness as he trailed off.

"… you never thought it was a girl." Peyton smiled at him, covering his hand with hers as she told him, "I understand and it's okay. Dean doesn't strike me as the guy that has a long line of exes."

"Believe me he doesn't." Sam kept Dean's random hookups to himself. His brother would surely kill him if he divulged too much information to Peyton -- especially that kind of information.

Peyton's eyes slowly drifted to Dean once again as he followed Nathan and Skills outside. She assumed that Skills was going to show Nathan Dean's car. They had all fallen in love with Dean's car over the summer and Nathan was bound to as well. Spinning around to face Sam, she told, "You know what? It's a party. What are we doing sitting here?"

Sam stared at Peyton curiously asking as she pulled his hand and jerked him out of his chair, "Well, what are you suggesting?"

---

"Dean, you've got to let me drive your car!" Nathan declared as they stepped back into TRIC. Dean's car was a hundred times nicer than his little hatchback, but it didn't take much to be nicer than his car, as Skills had so blatantly pointed out.

"Man, he wouldn't even let me drive his car and I'm a way better driver than you are," Skills told Nathan.

When Dean stopped shortly, Nathan and Skills bumped into him, following his line of vision. Nathan and Skills exchanged a glance as they watched Peyton and Haley out on the dance floor with Sam. He was standing stark still as the girls danced around him, hands moving over his arms and chest as they smiled and giggled, obviously amused by Sam's blushing embarrassment.

"What are they doing?"

Dean didn't nearly find the spectacle as amusing as Nathan did. "From here it looks like they're trying to take off his clothes," Dean grunted, not enjoying watching Peyton playfully strip his brother of his jacket. His thoughts began to spiral out of control as he watched the display.

He assumed that this was his fault, though. After all, they had been looking forward to alone time with each other earlier, but then she'd insisted that he stick around to meet Nathan. A half-hour had quickly turned into a few hours and it looked as if their time had passed.

Skills chose that moment to weigh-in on the spectacle, chiming, "Damn! You know, those three should get a room. This isn't the establishment for that kinda dancing." Nudging Dean, Skills teased, "Maybe baby brother offered her something you didn't."

As Skills wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, Dean bemoaned Skills' implication, choosing not to even contemplate that. It was bad enough that he was jealous of Luke's closeness with Peyton he didn't need to be jealous of Sam's as well.

Dean and Nathan glared at Skills as Lucas sidled up next to them. Dean barely even acknowledged Luke's presence since he was more concerned with the exhibit out on the dance floor.

Peyton was just having fun, his conscience reminded him. He knew that. He did. But that didn't mean that he had to like it.

Had this been how she'd behaved since he was away? Had their been other boys that she'd danced with like this before? Had things escalated beyond dancing to…?

Well that was a dangerous course of thinking!

Shaking the thoughts from his head. He had no right to be remotely jealous or critical of what Peyton did or didn't do while he was away. They weren't together and that had been his decision. Even though Lucas had told him that Peyton hadn't seen anyone he still had the nagging suspicion that there was something that Lucas hadn't told him. He just had that eerie feeling and he couldn't shake it.

Dean regarded the guys with a quick, "I'll see you guys later," before he broke apart from them and made a beeline for the dance floor.

His palms were sweating and he had the faintest idea why. He wasn't nervous. Or maybe he was? After all this was Peyton. His Peyton. He could care less how masochistic that sounded. If that meant he was being territorial, then so be it. It was a first for him regardless and he was pleasantly surprised that the concept didn't bother him one bit.

Dean approached Sam and Peyton after Mouth had pulled Haley away for a dance. When Peyton had moved into Sam's arms for a slow dance, he'd had enough.

He quickly intervened, asking his brother if he could cut in. "Hey, she's all yours." He'd wanted to say something quipping, but just smiled as Sam slid out of Peyton's arms and began making his way toward the bar.

"Suave," Peyton said with a roll of her eyes, stomping away from him toward the door.

Dean frowned, muttering to himself, "What'd I say?" before he ran after her.

---

How he had cajoled her into the car, he had no idea. He had tried small talk, failing miserably when every conversation had ended with her grunting from the back seat.

When he'd found her outside TRIC, he had begged her to come back inside but she said that she was going home. He quickly reminded her that they had ridden together which was when she had yelled at him that she'd walk home.

He'd let her walk for ten minutes before he hopped in his car and began creeping alongside her.

She had insisted that she could make it home by herself which was when a bolt of lightning lit up the sky. He was relieved when she climbed in the car, even if it happened to be the backseat.

Dean wasn't even sure what he'd done wrong. But apparently it was pretty serious.

When he'd pulled up at the curb outside her house, Peyton pushed open the door as she spat, "I can't believe that you acted like that."

Dean wrangled open his door, quick to scramble out to continue their impending argument. "Like what? I didn't do anything!" Was this how it was going to be for the duration of his visit? The two of them bitching and bickering at one another over the stupidest of things. Because that he could certainly do without.

Did she honestly expect him to remain calm when most of the people that she called friends were of the male persuasion? If she did then she didn't know him as well as she think she did.

"You know exactly what you did, Dean! That wasn't fair to me or to Sam. We were just dancing."

Climbing the steps up to Peyton's house, Dean twisted his key ring around his finger as he told her, "Yeah if you can call bumping and grinding dancing."

"I had to get your attention somehow," she yelled as they approached the door. Digging her keys out of her purse, she huffed, "Are you staying here or going back to the hotel?" She silently prayed for the former as she unlocked the door. Even though she was mad at him, she didn't want to stay in the house alone. She'd gotten used to his presence the last few days and even if they didn't share a bed knowing that he was in the house would allow her to sleep easier.

Dean leaned against the doorframe as he told her, "I should probably get back to the hotel. Besides, Sam snuck off before I was able to catch him and kick his scrawny little ass so I have some ass kicking to do."

Spinning around toward Dean, Peyton stepped over the threshold, telling him, "Well, I had a nice time. Even if you did spend the night with the guys."

Dean pointed a finger at her. "Well, you were the one that wanted me to meet Nathan. And, hey, you can't be mad at me for hanging out with your friends, you were hanging out with my brother."

"You're jealous of Sam?"

Dammit, he walked straight into that one, didn't he? "No, I'm… not."

Peyton rolled her eyes. Of course he wasn't. Because Dean wouldn't get jealous. She had to stifle a laugh at that one. The hilarity would force her to have an aneurism. "Yeah, that was real convincing," Peyton snarked as she began backing up inside. "So, I guess this is goodnight, then."

Dean nodded his head as he leaned in the doorway. He didn't want to leave but considering how the night was going he figured that this was as far as he was going tonight. Unfortunately. "Yeah. Goodnight," he muttered as Peyton began to ease the door closed. Before she could click the door shut in his face, he stuck his foot in the opening, obstructing her. "Wait."

Her eyes quickly snapped up to his as she wrenched the door open wider. "What?"

"Look, if you're gonna kick me to the curb and insist that I spend the night with my brother, then I'm going to need a little incentive." Hey, a lame excuse was better than no excuse at all, right? And he honestly didn't think she'd fall for it anyhow.

Peyton smiled wickedly, debating her options. Finally, she leaned forward to brush her lips across his cheek. "Better?" she asked when she pulled away.

Dean frowned, hanging his head with a frustrated sigh. "That's all I get? What am I, your cousin?" Before she could make a sarcastic quip, he flew into the house, seeking out her lips as he kicked the door closed behind himself.

A small whimper escaped Peyton's mouth as Dean's fingers dug into her thinly covered hips. His warm hands slid up her sides to thread his fingers into her hair. It was much longer than it was when he left. and it was curling again. God, what those curls did to him.

They ambled over to the railing of the stairs without breaking their embrace. When Dean's back hit the post, he yelped, "Ow, ow… be gentle, woman."

"Oh, shut up," Peyton said as she grabbed Dean's hand and began pulling him up the stairs.

---

Once they were in her bedroom, the urgency from earlier dissipated. The drama from early ceased to exist as they stood in front of one another, breathing ragged and hearts racing.

"I'm stupid," Dean murmured, touching her cheek.

"I won't disagree."

"You make me stupid." They shared a frown before they both began giggling. "That was meant to be poetic."

"But it lacked the poetry," Peyton told him as she took his hand and led him over toward the bed. They sat down beside one another, Dean holding her hand as she told him, "I like him, Dean. He's a lot like you, but at the same time he's the polar opposite."

"I'm glad you like him, Peyton. It's just…," he let out a deep sigh. "I'm not jealous. I want to make that known right now. But Sam's closer to your age. I mean, I'd understand…"

"You're joking, right?" Peyton said, turning to face him. She tugged on his arm until he faced her as well. She wanted to say this to his face so that he knew that she meant every word. "I spent the last few months pining for you, Dean. If I had wanted someone my own age I would've found someone in your absence, but I didn't. I wanted you. I want you. I won't settle for some knock off, even if it's a younger knock off." Dean smiled at that. "I've dreamed about you coming back for so long, Dean, and there's nothing that could keep me from enjoying every second that you're here."

"Me neither, Peyton."

"So, we can stop the silly and childish crap, then?"

"Stopped," Dean breathed, leaning forward to capture his lips. His lips swept over hers one, twice, three times before Peyton nudged his lips apart with her tongue to push inside his mouth.

As their kiss deepened, Dean pushed Peyton onto her back on the bed, stretching out on top of her, careful not to put his full body weight on her.

---

Spent, Peyton lay in Dean's arms, completely content and happy. Holding his hand in hers, she ran her fingertips along the gleaming silver ring that she'd bought him not so long ago. Peyton whispered to him, "You know, I can't believe you still wear this thing."

Dean glanced down at her, confessing, "I could never take it off." Tightening his arm around her, he added, "Because it was from you."

Peyton smacked his face incidentally with her hand as she sat up, scoffing, "Yeah right."

Dean pulled her toward him to brush his lips across her forehead. "No, I'm being serious. I didn't have much to hold on to, but like this I could be with you even when I couldn't be with you."

"You're going to make me cry... or laugh really really hard."

Dean sat up, leaning against the headboard. "I'm trying to be serious here!"

Stifling a laugh, Peyton tucked her hair behind her ears as she urged him, "Okay, okay, I'll be good. Carry on."

Dean shook his head. "Nevermind. The moment's passed." He scooted toward the edge of the bed, swinging his legs over the side to grapple for his boxers. He pulled them on as Peyton buried her head into her pillow, further winding her legs in the sheets.

Peyton watched as Dean pulled back on his jeans, her forehead wrinkling in confusion. "Where are you going?" Then, remembering their conversation from earlier, told him, "You can stay here, you know. You don't have to go back to the hotel."

He smirked at her as he yanked his shirt over his head. "Thank you for saying so, but I had no intention of going back to the hotel. I'm simply going on an ice cream run," he said, kneeling on the bed beside her.

"And you said that I was the one with the weird post-sex rituals," she teased as Dean bent down to brush a kiss across her lips.

"Well, you are. Have you forgotten the night with the tacos, jalapenos and cheesecake?"

"Oh, God! Must you remember everything."

"It's just not kosher," he said, chuckling as he slid off the bed, grabbing his wallet and keys off the nightstand. "You gonna be awake when I get back?"

Peyton told him through a yawn, "I make no promises."

---

After waking up alone in the bed, Peyton threw on Dean's shirt and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She was famished, having fallen asleep before Dean had returned with his post-coital ice cream snack.

Humming to herself as she opened the refrigerator, Peyton perused the contents. She was hungry for bacon and naturally she didn't have any… Ooh, cinnamon rolls!

"Led Zeppelin, huh?" Sam couldn't help but chuckle. She was like Dean -- but with breasts.

Peyton let out a shrill scream, turning around to face the intruder, calming when she realized it was Sam. "Sam!" she exclaimed, taking a few calming breaths as she pressed a hand to her rapidly beating heart. "What are… what are you doing here?"

"Dean let me in. He told me I could kick it around here while he was gone."

"And just where'd he disappear to?"

Sam shrugged. "Not sure. He just said he had to go out."

Peyton nodded. It was typical Dean to up and leave without an explanation. Seeing as how he left Sam, she knew he'd be back. She wasn't going to angst every time he left. That would get her nowhere and it would only lead to more arguments. "You hungry? I can make you breakfast," she offered, then frowned, adding, "Though there isn't much I can offer you."

Sam shook his head, pushing his hands into his pockets. "That's okay. I'm not real hungry anyway."

"Well, coffee then? I know you can't turn down coffee."

He smiled at her, agreeing, "No, I guess I can't."


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Swept to Ruin  
Fandom: One Tree Hill/Supernatural  
Pairing: Dean/Peyton  
Spoilers: One Tree Hill, "Over the Hills and Far Away"; Supernatural, "Provenance"  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't 'em. Wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself if I did.  
Summary: Sequel to Come What May/Split Second. Takes place five months after Dean left Tree Hill. Dean's back, accompanied by Sam this time around and while the brothers wreak havoc on the hearts of the Tree Hill females, a murder mystery keeps them occupied.  
Notes: Sorry for the long wait. I _swear _this story has a Supernatural element to it. I'll get to it sooner or later. :)

**Swept to Ruin: Chapter Five**

"Do you always walk around the house like that?" Sam asked, staring across the countertop at Peyton who was blushing profusely. He didn't mean to embarrass her; he was just curious if this was something that he had to get used to.

"I don't always have strange men wandering around my house." She touched her cheeks as if to help her blush dissipate. "I didn't know you were going to be here." Peyton began backing up toward the door, stopping in the doorway to tell him, "And just so you know, I thought the shirt was longer."

Peyton had disappeared down the hallway to the laundry room, returning moments later wearing a pair of jeans with Dean's shirt tied at the waist. When she returned to the kitchen, Sam handed her a fresh cup of coffee as Dex hobbled at his feet. "I think he wants to go outside."

Nodding her head toward the door, she prodded, "Well, let's go." She patted her leg, talking to Dex. "Come on, boy." Peyton led the way toward the front door with Dex running alongside her.

Once outside, she and Sam settled on the lounge, talking over their coffees as Dex ran around in the yard. Conversation was kept simple for the first few minutes. They talked about the weather and Dex and her neighbors, but then once her curiosity got the best of her, Peyton found herself asking, "So, you really have no idea where he went?"

Sam had wondered how she was able to hold out until now. He watched as she nervously traced the rim of her coffee cup with the tip of her finger. She did it often, mostly when she was nervous. Knowing Dean, he knew of her quirk as well. "He didn't tell me. Honest."

Peyton's gaze shifted to Dex as the pup pawed a flower in the grass. Moments later he began growling and barking at it like it was the neighbor's Pomeranian. She giggled to herself, muttering, "He doesn't tell you very much, does he?"

A bit offensive, Sam bit back, "He doesn't tell you much more."

"No, that's true," Peyton concurred. "But it's not for lack of trying, you know."

"Try being his brother," Sam scoffed. Peyton didn't know what Dean had been like when he'd been younger. Sam was always in his brother's way. While their father was away on hunts Dean was responsible for him and most of the time he didn't care to be. It was only recently that Dean's big brother gene had kicked into overdrive. "You didn't grow up with the guy."

Interested, Peyton turned toward Sam as Dex hopped up on the lounge with them. He moved from her lap to Sam's before settling down beside Sam. "Do tell," she prodded. "I'd kill to know what Dean was like when he was younger and seeing how you're my only chance, you have to tell me." Begging ceased for a moment as she noticed Sam's hesitance. "He was the older brother from hell, wasn't he?"

Sam shook his head as he patted Dex's back. "Okay," he caved. Dean was going to kill him, but knowing that Peyton was going to rub it in on Dean was going to be so worth it.

Peyton clapped her hands giddily, pulling her legs up under her exclaiming, "Ooh, story time!"

---

He hated basketball. He hated any kind of physical sport that required him to wear shorts. Heaving, Dean wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm, watching once again as Nathan buried the shot.

They'd been out on the Rivercourt for the past hour, talking and occasionally banking the ball in the net. Though, Nathan usually had to chase down the ball when Dean's free throw went a little too wide.

If only he had as much game on the court as the Scott brothers had. The Winchesters had game in other arenas. He guessed that it leveled the playing field a bit. He was sure if he gave Nathan or Lucas a gun they wouldn't know what to do with it. It delighted him in ways that he knew it shouldn't.

He had been regretting answering his phone all morning long. He would rather be back in bed with Peyton instead of out here with Nathan. He could be working up a sweat doing something a little less strenuous that required fewer clothes. His lips twitched into a smirk at the thought.

Dean was no opponent on the court like Lucas or Skills, but they'd promised Haley that they'd hang out and get to know each other a little more. Dean was worse than Lucas had said. Oh, well. He needed the workout. He did have a wedding coming up, after all.

Nathan bounced the ball to Dean as he asked, "So I take it that you and Sam are sticking around for the wedding?"

"What wedding?" Dean questioned. Peyton hadn't mentioned a wedding. But come to think of it, Peyton hadn't mentioned much to begin with. They had kept most of their conversations neutral, always skirting the subject of the last five months and what had happened in each other's lives during that time.

He had so much he wanted to tell her, but he just didn't know where to begin. After he'd left Tree Hill, he'd erected the walls that Peyton had spent all summer breaking down. The debacle in New Orleans had taught him that when he let people in, it made him weak.

Dean had spent so much time retreating into himself that he didn't know how to share himself with another person even if that person was Peyton. He had started so many times to tell her what life had been like for him since he'd left Tree Hill, but something always kept him from telling her.

Peyton hadn't been very forthcoming with the details of her life since he'd left, either.

Nathan straightened, holding the basketball still beneath his arm, telling Dean, "Mine and Haley's." Hadn't Peyton mentioned it? The girls were always talking about it. How could Dean not know?

Dean furrowed his brows. "I thought you two were married already."

Nathan nodded his head as he led the way over toward the bleachers. Sitting down, he told Dean, "We're renewing our vows." He looked toward the harbor, scoffing, "Are you sure Peyton didn't tell you?"

Dean shook his head. "Nobody's said anything to me."

"Weird," Nathan said with a frown. "I figured Peyton would've mentioned it."

Dean looked down at the cracked cement beneath his feet, muttering, "Well, she didn't." One would think that considering how close they were that she would have.

Oh, wait. That's right. They weren't that close.

And he had to wonder why. He pushed aside that train of thought for the moment. There was plenty of time to angst over Peyton's secret keeping. Wedding. Those were supposed to be happy occasions. He tried to focus on that instead. "So, what prompted this need to renew your vows? I mean, you two haven't been married that long, right?"

Nathan sighed in relief. At least Dean wasn't dwelling on Peyton not telling him about the wedding. "Well, the shooting kinda shifted everyone's priorities."

"Whoa, whoa," Dean exclaimed, interrupting Nathan with a wave of his hands. "What shooting?" He had the distinct feeling that there was an awful lot that Peyton hadn't told him.

Nathan stumbled, "Well… the school shooting." He paused. He had just assumed that Dean knew about the shooting, too. Couldn't Haley have given him a crash course on the Dean/Peyton show? He was inadvertently spilling all kinds of secrets. "I thought… I mean…," Nathan stammered. He was so going to be in trouble when he got home. "I just figured that Peyton had told you about it."

Dean ground out, "Well, she didn't."

It made him wonder what else Peyton was hiding from him.

---

The house was quiet when Dean let himself in later that afternoon. He peeked into the living room, finding Sam asleep on the sofa with Dex lying on his stomach. There was no sign of Peyton, but as he was getting ready to head upstairs he heard clanking from the kitchen.

He changed his direction and began his trek toward the kitchen. Once there, Dean stood in the doorway, watching Peyton move from one end of the room to the other as she unloaded the dishwasher.

Dean remained silent for a few moments as he debated how to broach the conversation that he had dreaded since leaving the Rivercourt.

Nathan hadn't told him much. Dean guessed that he didn't want to divulge too much information, especially after realizing that he'd said a little too much to begin with.

As far as the shooting went, an old friend of Luke's had come to school with a gun, fired one shot and Peyton had been caught in the crossfire. It wasn't anything severe, but she had spent the night in the hospital and had to spend a few weeks on crutches.

He should've been there.

The second those thoughts settled in his subconscious they latched onto another piece of crucial information: the fact that the person that had shot Peyton had been a friend of Luke's. He knew that it wasn't Luke's fault entirely, but the guilty party was dead. He couldn't go and beat him to a bloody pulp.

But Lucas…

Dean wanted to unleash all of his anger on Lucas and he would eventually. Right now confronting Peyton was the only thing that he was concerned with.

Finally, he summoned up the courage to murmur, "Hey."

Caught off guard, Peyton turned around quickly, flashing him a bright smile. "Hey, you're back." She bent down to grab the silverware from the washer saying over her shoulder, "I didn't hear you come in."

He mustered a flat smile, shaking his head as he fumbled with the car keys that he still had in his hand. He didn't want to argue with her; he just wanted the truth. He pushed the keys into the pocket of his jeans as he told her, "Years of practice breaking into places."

"Right." She opened a drawer to put away a handful of silverware. "Where'd you go? I asked Sam, but he didn't know either. We were kinda worried."

Dean started to answer her, but instead the words that escaped his mouth were, "So, were you gonna ask me?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm confused."

His eyes drifted to the table where her artwork was strewn across the formica. A sketch of a crying girl being consoled by a boy caught his eyes. He wondered if it was meant to represent her and Lucas or her and him. He was sure that if Peyton wanted him to know about her drawings and what prompted them, she would tell him herself. However, considering what Nathan had told him earlier he didn't have much hope for Peyton telling him much of anything.

Dean snapped his gaze back to her, focusing on the matter at hand. "Yeah, that makes two of us," he said bitterly, pushing away from the doorjamb.

She took a moment to glance at him from over her shoulder as she asked, "What was it I was supposed to ask you?" She moved back to the dishwasher, taking out plate by plate to stack them in the crook of her arm.

"Nathan told me about the wedding."

She stalled for a moment. It was just a moment, but he noticed. "Oh," she said simply as she moved to open the cupboard beside the sink to stow away the stack of plates.

"Oh?" he mimicked. "All I get is an oh?"

Peyton stared out the kitchen window. She hadn't intended to tell him, but she was annoyed and a smidge embarrassed that he had found out about the wedding before he had skipped town.

When she didn't make so much of a move to answer him, he concluded, "You weren't going to tell me about it at all, were you?"

Peyton still didn't face him as she murmured, "No, I wasn't." At least she wasn't denying it, but that really didn't comfort him any. Finally she faced him, long enough to say, "I figured you wouldn't be around that long so what would've been the point?" She pushed the dishwasher closed, then moved past him out the door.

Dean followed her out of the room as she made a beeline for the laundry room down the hall. "Peyton!" he yelled after her.

She stopped walking, turning to face him, her shoulders sagging as she sighed. "I don't want to talk about this right now, Dean. I can't talk about it right now." She didn't want to argue with him with Sam just a few rooms away.

"Would you rather talk about the school shooting?" Her eyes snapped up to his, widening in horror. "I'm pretty sure that you don't want to talk about that either."

"How did you…?"

"It doesn't really matter."

No. She guessed it didn't. Not now, anyway. She tried to shrug it off, but she was aggravated that Dean knew things about her that she hadn't intended him ever knowing. Bitterly, she snapped, "It was Lucas, right?" The accusation was quickly followed by her mumble, "I specifically told him that I didn't want you to know." It had been meant for her ears only, but had reached Dean's as well.

So Lucas was keeping secrets for her? Yeah that little tidbit did nothing but add to his suspicion that Lucas and Peyton were more than friends. However, he disregarded it as he shouted, "It doesn't matter how I know, Peyton. I know!" He took a moment to breathe before persisting, "You were shot, Peyton! Why wouldn't you want me to know?"

Peyton folded her arms across her chest, pinching at the fabric of her shirt. "It wasn't your problem, Dean. It was my problem. Do you tell me about all the times that you're shot or that you almost die?" Dean's silence was her answer. "No, of course you don't. You keep what happens to you from me. Why? I don't know. Maybe you think it'll protect me or keep me safe. Whatever. You have your reasons and I have mine."

Dean ran a hand through his hair. "Lucas…"

Before Dean could get his entire thought out, Peyton interrupted, "I was talking out of my mind. I didn't mean what I said. I was hallucinating when I told Lucas that I loved him."

Oh. Well. He didn't know everything, now did he? "You told him that you…?"

Peyton's eyes clouded, her brows knitting together in confusion. "I thought that's why you…," she trailed off. Then, "Oh, damn."

Dean shook his head unable to wrap his head around all of it. Oh damn was right.

It was true that he'd kept things from her, but it was different. He was used to being severely hurt. It was in the job description. But her… Peyton shouldn't have to be put in the forefront of danger. It was why he had been so insistent on not getting involved with her in the first place. He'd already put her life at risk by being who he was, by doing what he did. A lot of good it did him to try to protect her; she wasn't even safe at school.

"Nathan told me that Lucas saved you. You were shot, he stayed with you, then carried you out once it was safe."

She remembered that day in vivid detail as if it had happened yesterday. There was a lot about that day that she wished that she could forget, preferably the words that she had uttered to Lucas. She hadn't meant them; not in the context that Dean was thinking, at least. It was why she had never wanted him to know what had happened. "It's true."

"That you love him?"

Like she knew he would, he was misconstruing the feelings behind her words. "That he saved me," she corrected quickly.

"But do you? Love him, I mean." Did he actually want an answer to that question? Who was he kidding? Of course he did. He had always wondered what lay beneath the surface between Lucas and Peyton. It was obvious that whatever was between them was far from over even if they were too blind to realize it.

He'd rather take his chances here and now of finding out the truth than to keep on angsting over it. He didn't like being the jealous and mistrusting boyfriend, but that's exactly what he'd turned into. And he hated it.

"Lucas is one of my best friends, Dean. Of course I love him." However, she knew that wasn't the kind of love that he was referring to and it made her temper flare that he had the audacity to continue to doubt her. Angered and annoyed with him, she exclaimed, "You know what? I'm not going to defend myself or my feelings to you."

Okay, now that was unfair. "Why not? I have to defend mine to you."

"How many times do I have to tell you that there is nothing going on between me and Lucas? I can't make it any clearer than telling you that I don't want to be with him. I want to be with you." She took a breath to ward off the tears threatening her eyes before saying, "Are you looking for an excuse to end things between us?"

He had to admit that sometimes he thought it'd be a lot easier if he just drove her away.

Sometimes.

Dean turned away from her, facing her only to say, "I think it's better for both of us if we just end this conversation now before one of us says something that we can't take back."

"Yeah, I think that's best," Peyton agreed. She was searching for words to ease the tension between them when Dean spun on his heels and began to make his way toward the front door. "Where are you going?" she yelled after him.

Stopping at the door, Dean reached for the door handle as he said over his shoulder, "I think we could use a little time apart from one another."

"We've spent the last five months apart, Dean. Don't you think that was enough time?"

"Apparently not nearly enough," he said, yanking the door open.

---

When Dean had slipped behind the wheel of his car, he had no idea what he was doing or where he was going. He glanced back at the house as Peyton wrenched open the door. As she began to descend the steps, he gunned the engine and peeled away from the curb.

Once he stopped at the end of the block, he debated his next move. Right? Left? Straight? With a glance back in the rearview, he pressed his foot to the gas and sped straight. He made his way down the main strip and headed out of town.

He could leave town. He could leave and never look back. He could put all the drama and relationship woes behind him, go on with his life and forget that he'd ever been to Tree Hill and that he'd ever met Peyton.

But what good would that do? It would solve nothing and only create more heartache for both of them. As angry at her as he was he couldn't imagine just disappearing from her life. Not again.

Before he could change his mind again and speed out of the city limits, he pulled onto the side of the road. It was the same spot, give or take a few feet, where his car had broken down earlier in the summer.

Dean killed the engine and scrambled out of his car. He leaned against the hood of his car, looking out over the lake.

That day had changed his miserable existence. In the span of a weekend, he'd allowed a group of teenagers into his life and one of them into his heart.

He wondered how different his life would've been had he left Tree Hill once and for all after his car had been fixed. Maybe his father would've never gone missing. Perhaps Peyton would've found her way back to Lucas. Heck it was possible that Sam would still be at college and Jessica would still be alive.

Nah. He couldn't contemplate his life without Peyton or Sam. They both made him crazy, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

When Dean saw headlights coming up around the bend, he climbed back into his car and veered back onto the road. After aimlessly driving around for awhile, he made his way back into town.

He didn't know of very many places in town so he'd wound up at TRIC. Luckily there weren't very many people there so it gave him time to think.

And drink.

Yes, he' done a lot of drinking.

The waitress had just brought him a fresh drink when Sam dropped into the seat beside him. "If you say one damn word I'll slam your ass to the floor," Dean warned his brother as he took a sip from his glass.

Sam didn't know about Lucas or Peyton's past with Lucas. He didn't know much so anything that he had to weigh in on would just be Sam talking out of his ass and right now that was the last thing Dean needed or wanted. He wanted to sulk and drink himself into a stupor and he was planning on doing just that.

But then Sam took his drink.

"I think you've had enough."

"I've had enough of you," Dean snapped, knowing that he was taking his anger out on the wrong person. Sam didn't deserve his attitude or to be the filler for Peyton. Or Lucas.

It was Lucas he was really mad at. After all of Dean's phone conversations with Lucas the past few months his so called friend had never mentioned the school shooting. Dean had blatantly asked if Peyton was okay and Lucas didn't feel that it was imperative enough that he know that she'd been shot?

What a good friend he was.

Sam ignored his brother's biting tone. After Dean had stormed out, he had woken up just as Peyton ran through the foyer and yanked open the front door. He heard her yell out to Dean, then heard the squeal of the tires as he peeled out.

Curious as to what was going on, he walked into the foyer just as Peyton had lowered herself to the floor, tears making their way down her cheeks. "I think I just made a bad situation worse," she had muttered.

Sam had sat beside her on the floor and consoled her as she cried in his arms. It was only after that Peyton had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room that he'd come to find Dean. Luckily he hadn't had to look far which was good since he was still pretty unfamiliar with the town.

Sam passed Dean's drink off to the waitress, informing his brother, "I heard the two of you arguing."

"It wasn't much of an argument as it was a disagreement."

"Well, whatever. Peyton's beside herself, Dean."

"If you've come to collect me, then you're sorely mistaken. I can't go back right now. I have some things I need work through first."

Sam had never seen his brother like this. He had definitely underestimated Dean. In the beginning he hadn't believed that Peyton wasn't anything more than one of Dean's fuck buddies. Dean was in love with her and for reasons that he hadn't yet wrapped his head around, she loved him back.

"This isn't like you, Dean. You've never been so irrational and worked up over a girl."

"No, I haven't," Dean said flatly. He'd never had a relationship no thanks to his hunting and the entanglement-free Winchester pact. He'd always been the loyal one. He always followed the rules that his father had laid out.

Plus, Dean didn't want to risk letting someone into his heart only to have her die like his mother did. That fear had multiplied to the nth degree since Jessica's death. He'd kept that fear to himself, though. He hadn't wanted Sam to look at him like he was breakable and Peyton…

Well, he didn't want her to worry about sharing Jessica's fate.

"So why now? Why Peyton?"

"Sam, don't you think I've asked myself that very same question? I don't know. There's just…"

"… something about her?" Sam offered. There was definitely something about Peyton. He just didn't quite know what it was.

Dean grinned at his brother, but his expression quickly faded to a frown. "Geez, Sam," Dean muttered, hanging his head. "Tell me you're not doing it again," Dean begged, shifting his gaze to his brother.

"Doing what again?" Sam asked, confused.

"Crushing on my girlfriend."

"I do not have a crush on Peyton," Sam informed his brother as he slid off his bar stool and began to walk away.

Dean followed Sam toward the dance floor, stopping beside Sam to tell him, "Good. That's good. Because I will kick your ass."

Sam guffawed. "Yeah, Dean. Of course you will."

"Hey! I will," Dean insisted. He was older and could kick his younger brother's ass. He could!

Sam nodded his head. "No, no. I believe you. You can't see it, but I'm shaking in my boots."


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Swept to Ruin Fandom: Supernatural/One Tree Hill  
Characters/Pairing: Nathan, Haley, Dean/Peyton  
Spoilers: One Tree Hill, "Over the Hills and Far Away"; Supernatural, "Provenance"  
Disclaimer: If I owned them do you think I'd be writing fanfiction. I think not.  
Summary: Sequel to Come What May/Split Second. Takes place five months after Dean left Tree Hill. Dean's back, accompanied by Sam this time around and while the brothers wreak havoc on the hearts of the Tree Hill females, a murder mystery keeps them occupied.  
Notes: Two months since an update? Seriously? I am such a loser. :/ 

**Swept to Ruin: Chapter Six**

Haley snapped her head to the door of the café as Nathan sauntered in flanked by Sam Winchester. They were the last two people she expected to see together, but given the recent events she was pretty sure that Lucas had been blacklisted by the Winchesters. Giving her table one last wipe, she looked up at her husband, snipping, "I hope you're happy now." 

Nathan frowned. "I just got here. What could I have possibly done already?"

Haley threw up her hands in disbelief. "Of course you think you've done nothing wrong," she spat, rounding the counter. She directed an angered look at Nathan, chiding, "Remember that little conversation that you and Dean had at the Rivercourt?"

Nathan slid into a chair in front of her, grimacing. He feared that this was not going to be pretty. He cast a glance at Sam, smiling politely as he readied himself for the reaming that would entail. "Oh, _that_."

"Fix it," Haley said sternly as she began to wipe down the countertop. "I don't care what you have to do, but you better fix it."

Sam chose that as his moment to make his presence known. Plus he felt that Nathan was getting the tongue lashing that his brother justly deserved. He exchanged a look with Nathan who shook his head. He had confessed to Nathan just moments earlier that Dean had split town. He wasn't sure if it would make the situation better or worse, but he had to give it a shot, at least. "Well, you see, Haley… that's kind of… well, you see… Dean took off," he stammered.

Her head shot up as she squealed, "WHAT?"

Nathan hung his head while Sam went on to explain, "He's gone and I have no idea where he went… we have no idea where he went."

"So Peyton knows?" Sam nodded in affirmation. Haley looked off into space, muttering to herself, "So that's why she was distant this morning." Haley pointed her finger at Nathan. "This is _your_ fault."

Nathan feigned innocent. "My fault?" Okay, it was, but he was not about to own up to it! "I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to say anything," he declared. "How the heck was I supposed to know that you and Peyton were the masters of deceit."

"Hey, she didn't tell me that the wedding was off-limits for Dean, either, but I didn't go blabbing about it around town."

"Well, how was I supposed to know?"

Tree Hill may have been a boring little town, but the townsfolk were entertaining enough. Sam interrupted the quarreling married couple, asking, "Why didn't she want him to know that you two were getting married again?"

Nathan and Sam locked eyes on Haley as she furrowed her brows, frowning. "I wish I knew, Sam." Haley turned her back to them, making her way back towards the tables. She began busing behind them, saying, "I can't deal with this right now. My sisters are coming to town for the wedding and having to put up with them plus Dean and Peyton fighting… it's going to stress me out."

"More than you already are?" Nathan quipped.

"Yes!" Haley shouted, receiving damning looks from a few of her tables. She smiled at them in apology, then moved about her business.

"When do your sisters get here?" Nathan asked, far from excited that her sisters were coming in for the wedding. Vivian was getting a hotel but they had yet to find out exactly what Taylor or Quinn were doing. He secretly hoped that Haley had put the kibosh on either one of her sisters staying with them. The last thing he needed was a repeat of Taylor's last visit. With any luck the James sisters had made other arrangements. Hey, he could hope, couldn't he?

Haley shrugged. "Who knows?"

After Haley walked away, Nathan turned to Sam, "You really have no idea where Dean is?"

Sam shook his head. "I've tried calling him, but he's not picking up his phone. He told me that he was going back to the hotel last night, but I went there this morning and the manager said that he had checked out."

Nathan wracked his brain for places that Dean might go, but he rarely knew the guy so he had no idea what places might pique Dean's interest. The whole point of playing basketball at the Rivercourt was to get to know him better. Nathan was pretty sure after yesterday that he'd be the last person that Dean would ever consider a friend, not that he could blame him.

Feeling the need to contribute, Nathan suggested, "What about Luke's? Maybe he's hiding out there?" Aside from Peyton's, Luke's was the only place that Dean had visited while he'd been in town during the summer, or so he'd been told.

Sam glanced around the café, shaking his head in disagreement. "Peyton thought so too, but Lucas hadn't seen him. Besides Dean's too pissed at Luke to go there." Even though he'd barely spoken ten words to Lucas Scott he knew one thing -- that if his brother sought out Lucas it would be to get some answers. How Dean got those answers would not be sitting down over a cup of coffee, that much was for sure.

"Right," Nathan sighed. "You'd think that Dean would be grateful to Luke. I mean, he did save Peyton's life."

"Somehow I don't think that's the problem."

It took a moment for Nathan before he realized what Sam was trying to say. When it clicked, he exclaimed, "Oh." Then, "No. No. Most definitely not. Lucas only has eyes for Brooke."

Sam allowed Nathan's statement to reverberate through his head before he asked, "Who's Brooke?"

--

Sam was sitting in Peyton's living room channel surfing, annoyed that he couldn't find anything reasonable to watch. Though, he was a bit preoccupied.

It wasn't like Dean to just up and disappear without telling him. He knew that Dean and Peyton were trying to work some stuff out but he had never thought that his brother would abandon Peyton and least of all, _him_.

But he'd found out during their time in Tree Hill that he didn't know his brother as good as he thought he did. Dean was a different person when he was around Peyton. He was more content. Happier even. And that was saying a lot.

Despite his worry over Dean's disappearance, he knew that he wasn't the only one concerned with his brother's whereabouts. Peyton hadn't slept since Dean had stormed out, not that he'd expected her to.

When he'd returned from TRIC he'd found Peyton sitting on the front steps, waiting and hoping. He'd lingered with her outside for a few moments, not telling her that he'd seen Dean. Though he'd no choice but to come clean when Dean didn't come home. Peyton had barely spoken five words to him that entire day, resenting him for not dragging Dean back home with him.

She had fallen asleep with him in the living room, succumbing to sleep while they watched a movie. When she'd waken that morning to find that Dean still hadn't returned her resolve seemed to have worsened.

Hearing her in the foyer, Sam decreased the volume on the television, listening intently to her as she prodded Dex along. "Come on, Dex," she cooed to the dog. She glanced into the living room as she entered the foyer, greeting him with Dex's leash in hand.

He flicked off the television, rising off the sofa as he asked, "You taking him out for a walk?"

Peyton nodded, bending down to clasp Dex's leash. Sam bent down to rub the dog's ears as Peyton looked on with a satisfied smile.

Dex was getting spoiled to the attention from Sam. She wanted to warn him not to let her dog get attached to him, but each time she opened her mouth to do so, she'd always clamp it shut. Her words would only come out bitter and contrived and meant for Dean. Sam didn't deserve her fury, even if he had seen Dean before he'd skipped town or disappeared or whatever.

Choosing to focus on her walk instead of her current estrangement from Dean, she told Sam, "I just need some fresh air." That was true. Partially. Dex needed to go out and she needed to get out of the house and stop willing the phone to ring.

As if reading her thoughts, Sam reassured her as he stood back up, "He'll come back, Peyton."

_Of course he will. You're here._

Peyton knew that Sam had a point. Worse case scenario Dean would only return to collect his brother and wouldn't say a word to her. Being rejected yet again by Dean was her worst fear. "You know, Sam, I'd rather not talk about it right now."

Sam nodded understandingly. "Of course."

Peyton yanked on Dex's leash, the dog trotting behind her as she led the way to the door. "We'll be back later."

As Peyton made her way toward the door, Sam asked, "Hey, do you mind if I tag along?" There wasn't much he could sitting here either and the fresh air and the chance to talk might do them both some good.

Peyton scoffed. "You want to accompany me while I walk Dex?"

"There isn't much for me to do here except became a couch potato," he said, gesturing to the messy living room. "If you don't mind."

Peyton shook her head, telling him, "No, I don't mind." She took in his disheveled appearance, mocking, "As long as you put on pants."

--

Dean was making his way up the sidewalk to the house when the door opened. Peyton stepped out first, holding onto Dex's leash, followed by Sam. He slowed, watching as Sam and Peyton talked amongst themselves as Sam pulled the door shut behind them.

On the porch, Peyton's smile faded when she set her eyes on him. She looked back at Sam as he stepped beside her.

It was an awkward moment, made even more so when Dex broke free of Peyton's grip and crossed the yard to Dean. Dean bent to scoop up the pup while Peyton stared at him, wide eyed.

Dean watched as Peyton glanced at Sam who shrugged his shoulders, then led the way toward Dean.  
Peyton loitered back watching as Sam whispered something to Dean before taking Dex from Dean's arms, declaring, "I'll take him for his walk."

As Sam made his way down the sidewalk with Dex trotting along beside him, Dean began to make his way across the lawn toward Peyton. "Hey," he greeted her coolly, stopping at the bottom of the steps.

She reciprocated with a tight smile, asking, "So where've you been?"

"Around," he answered nonchalantly. He'd explain later where he'd been for the past two days.

Peyton noted that he was purposefully evading her question. She could only imagine what he'd been doing. Somehow she knew that it involved hunting, though. Choosing not to press him for details that he apparently was not ready to divulge, she said, "I called you. I mean… I tried to. We both did. Sam and I, I mean." She didn't want to allude to anything that involved her and Lucas doing anything together. Luke was a sore subject for them right now and there was no use making a bad situation worse.

Dean gave her a tight smile. Even if she hadn't explained, he would've known that she and Sam had tried to call him. He and Lucas hadn't talked for days. "Yeah, I know. I wasn't up for talking."

"And now?"

"I think it's time that we talked, Peyton. _Really_ talked."

--

Peyton led the way into the house, tossing her keys onto the table in the foyer. She crossed into the living room and began gathering the blankets strewn about while Dean lingered in the doorway, watching as she picked up after Sam.

Tossing the blankets into a pile at her feet, Peyton pointed out when Dean had failed to broach conversation, "One of us is going to have to talk here, Dean."

"I was just waiting for you."

"Me? I'm not the one that stormed out of here." She kicked the blankets in frustration. "You were the one that stormed out of here. You're the one that spent the last two days God knows where doing… God knows what." She added the latter in barely a breath.

Shifting his feet, Dean told her, "Peyton, I don't want to fight with you."

"Well, I don't want to fight with you, either, but that's what we do. We fight and then we make out. It's our thing." Peyton kicked the blankets at her feet aside before her shoe could get tangled in the heap. "I want to work through this, but I don't want you to walk out on me every time that we disagree about… things."

_Things_. He applauded her choice of words. At least she didn't say it by name.

Dean entered the living room, falling into the chair in the corner. "I didn't know what to do. I still don't know what to do. I needed to clear my head. I have this image of you wounded and bleeding in my head and… it was… it was too much," he said, the last of his words coming out in merely a whisper. "I wanted to protect you from my life, but I can't even protect you from yours."

"Dean, you don't have to protect me."

"Maybe not, but I'd like to." Dean slid out of the chair, moving toward the window. Peering outside he told her, "I'd like to know that you need me."

Peyton tightened her grip on the blanket in her hands. "I do need you. I just don't need you to be my guardian and protector." Peyton approached him at the window. "You have enough to concentrate on as it is and worrying about me… that's a risk that you can't afford to take. Your dad, Sam… you should only be concerned with protecting _them_."

Dean huffed. "They can protect themselves, but you…." He paused for a moment, all his words jumbling together. "We've both led tragic lives. Mine is what it is, but yours doesn't have to be."

Peyton was moved that he was concerned with her well being, but really he needn't be. "I'm a lot stronger than you give me credit for, you know."

"Yeah, I know." He sighed. "I hate that you don't need me the way that I want you to need me." Facing her, he confessed, "It makes me feel useless, Peyton."

She guffawed. "Dean, you're far from useless."

"I hunt the supernatural. That I can do without qualms. That's not what I was talking about." Dean shook his head. "Not being able to shield my girlfriend from…," he trailed off, his gaze dropping to her leg. He couldn't see the scar, nor had he noticed it since he'd been back, but knowing it was there as a reminder of what she'd gone through… it left him uneasy. He cleared his throat, continuing, "… from getting shot makes me feel like an utter failure."

Now he was just talking crazy. The Winchesters were anything but failures. The work they did impacted people, it saved lives. They were martyrs but they certainly didn't seem to think so. "You're far from being a failure, Dean. Besides there was nothing that you could have done."

"Yeah, but…," he started to object.

Her determination was etched all over her face. "The damage is done. I have the scar to prove it. Can we just… let it go?"

Dean doubted that he would ever let it go. It would be like the New Orleans fiasco all over again. Even though it was out of sight, it was never out of mind. He was constantly reminded how his life put her in danger and this situation with the shooting while it was not his fault it wouldn't fail to be a reminder of how, once again, he had failed her.

With a nod of his head, Peyton flew into his arms. For the moment, things remained tranquil as Dean kissed the top of her head, a little relieved. Then, he ruined the moment when he said, "About the Lucas thing…"

Peyton had hoped that topic of conversation had dropped. No such luck. Slowly she backed away from him, murmuring, "I didn't think that we were through with that yet." She walked across the room, her arms folded across her chest. "Do you remember that night we left for New Orleans? The night you told me everything?" He made no attempt to answer her, he just eyed her caustically, wondering where she was headed. "I didn't run off. I thought you were crazy, sure, but I never doubted that what you were saying was true. _I_ believed _you_. So I guess what I can't understand is why you can't believe me when I tell you that Lucas and I are nothing more than friends."

She had accepted the truth so easily that night. The transition from spouting that he was merely a stranger to knowing all about his family had been barely made before he had agreed to let her accompany him to New Orleans.

He had enjoyed having her with him. The trip to New Orleans wasn't boring with Peyton there beside him. The constant bantering over music and her falling asleep beside him, his leather jacket draped over him like a blanket were some of the better memories from that particular trip.

The nights spent in the hotel with her were not forgotten, either. They were what had kept him company during the nights without her. He'd be a fool to tell her that, though. "I want to believe you, Peyton. You have to believe that. But you and Lucas… you have a connection with him that I only wish _we_ could have. You can't begrudge me for being envious of that."

It'd be sweet if it wouldn't be illogical. "Dean, I've known Lucas a lot longer than I have you. He's been there for me through most of the rough times. It's normal that he and I would have a relationship like no other. But that doesn't mean that we'll never be like that. A relationship like that doesn't happen overnight. You have to work on it, grow into it." Her voice softened as she added, "You have to give us time to develop such a thing."

Dean expelled a deep breath, knowing that Peyton had a point. And a damn good one. "You're right. I guess I'm expecting…." With a shake of his head, he trailed off. He was expecting. That was the problem. He shouldn't be expecting anything at all.

"That's not a bad thing, you know."

It wasn't a bad thing, but it wasn't a good thing either. He had seen what happened when you let people into your life. You became weak and they became a liability. However, despite being in the know, he didn't care. He'd risk it all for Peyton. "I can't afford to have expectations, Peyton. I can't… I can't be this guy."

Her heart hammered against her chest, fearing that he was breaking up with her. "Why?"

He glared at her dubiously. "This is why." It came out as a shout and that hadn't been his intention. He added softer, in barely a whisper, "It leads to arguments and feelings… feelings that I don't want to have."

She was feeling nostalgic. Hadn't she heard this rant before? Several times, in fact?

"Don't you think that's something you should've thought about before you came back," she spat angrily. Peyton began making her way toward the foyer, but surprised them both when she spun around to shout at him, "You know I was getting used to having you gone."

She watched as he fidgeted, his eyes dipping to avoid her gaze. But then they came back to settle on her just when she thought he was too much of a coward to look at her. "I was just beginning to deal again when you called. It took me awhile to get there, but I was happy. You weren't around and you wanted nothing to do with me. I didn't like it, but I lived with it. I didn't seek you out, Dean. You sought me out. This is all your fault so don't even try to lay the blame on me. If you'd have just stayed gone we wouldn't be doing this and you wouldn't have all kinds of … feelings." She started to say more, but instead she just grunted and stormed outside.

Dean waited for a few moments before he sought her out. Outside, he found her sitting on the lounge, her legs tucked up under her chin as she stared blankly in front of her. He settled down beside her, choosing not to talk in fear of digging an even bigger hole than he was already in.

"This is ridiculous," he heard her mutter.

Dropping his head into his hands, he agreed, "That it is."

"We're incapable of making things easy," she whispered. It was by no means a newsflash for her. She had always made her relationships exceptionally harder just by being who she was. She didn't know why she thought that would change just by getting involved with Dean. After all, he had his share of problems with relationships and intimacy just like she did. "Why do you think that is?"

"Because of who we are, I guess." Dean leaned back in the lounge, sighing, "You get used to being a certain way and living a certain way that when you're presented with change, you rebel and you concoct all these reasons not to." Peyton slowly turned her head until she met Dean's eyes. "I'm never going to be some suburban boyfriend, Peyton."

"I don't want you to be a suburban boyfriend," she assured him. "If I wanted that I wouldn't have spent the last few months pining after you."

The corners of his lips swept up into a smirk. "You pined after me?" He giggled as she swatted him playfully.

"Why's that such a difficult thing for you to grasp?"

Dean shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I've never… no one's ever wanted me for so long before. There's never been anything constant in my life and having you be the first… it's gonna take some getting used to."

She nodded her head slowly. "And Lucas? Are we okay about him?"

He stared at her dumbfounded and lost for words for a moment. He chose his words very carefully so that she understood how he felt. After a deep breath, he finally said, "That's another demon that I still have to fight."

When she scooted across the lounge toward him, dropping her head onto his shoulder, he could breathe a little easier.

They were okay.

For now, at least.

---

"So tell me about Brooke."

Peyton glanced up from her artwork, piercing Sam with a blank stare. "Okay that's pretty random."

Sam stared out the kitchen window, busily scrubbing the pots that he and Peyton had dirtied during lunch as he said, "Nathan mentioned her. He said that Lucas was in love with her."

"Yeah. He was." When Sam looked over his shoulder at her, she corrected, "_Is_. He _is_ in love with her." Though Luke's declaration of love for Brooke had pretty much come out of the blue, she never doubted for a second that it was true. She guessed that his feelings for Brooke were still the same. He hadn't spoken her name in weeks, not that she'd been around him lately if he had. "He told her how he felt right before she left to spend the summer in California." When Sam guffawed, she amended, "Yeah, his timing is the worst."

Curiosity piqued, Sam wiped his hands on his jeans then turned around to face Peyton. "Nathan said she chose not to come back."

Peyton began gathering her artwork, piling it up in front of her as she told Sam, "Yeah, she didn't… I guess she didn't want a repeat of last year."

Sam knew that it was a loaded question, but he asked anyway. "What happened last year?" Sam studied Peyton carefully, watching as her shoulders sagged with the deep breath that she took.

As the story began to unfold, he could tell just how much regret that Peyton had. He wasn't sure whether it was because she had let Lucas go or because they had hurt Brooke. Either way guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders and even though she had mended both of those friendships, there was a part of her that would always be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"We never sought out to hurt her, but there was only so much pining that we could do for one another. I the end I made the decision that my friendship with her was more important than any relationship I could have had with him."

There were no words to express his sympathy. "I'm sorry."

Peyton waved it off. "It's ancient history. Lucas and I work better as friends."

"Nathan said that there's a chance she'll be in for the wedding."

Peyton had heard nothing of the sort, but then again all of her calls had been going straight to voicemail. She'd missed a few calls from her dad so it was highly possible that she'd missed a call or two from Brooke as well. "That wouldn't surprise me. Brooke loves weddings." Then, after a pause, she reiterated, "No, take that back. Brooke loves _parties_."

Sam took a moment to digest the information of late before he told her, "I don't want to point out the obvious here…."

"So don't," Peyton encouraged since she knew exactly what he was going to say.

Sam pressed regardless. "Tell him everything, Peyton. Maybe he'll stop hounding you about Lucas."

"I can handle Dean. Him not trusting me kind of annoys me but if he's continuously weary of my relationship with Lucas, at least I know he cares."

Sam rolled his eyes at her. "Of course he cares."

"You have to say that." Peyton knew that Dean cared about her, but sometimes she wondered if his feelings for her were as strong as hers for him. Since she'd never knew the extent of his feelings there was no point mulling over it.

Before Sam was able to protest further, they heard the front door slam shut, followed moments later by Dean bellowing, "Peyton! Peyton, where are you?"

Peyton looked wearily at Sam, then stood up from the table and stepped out into the hallway. "I'm right here, Dean. What's with all the noise?" she asked, staring at him agape.

Dean nodded his head toward the door. "Let's go," he commanded.

"Go?" she echoed, walking down the hallway to meet him. "Where?" she asked as he grabbed her jacket off the coat rack, holding it open for her.

He peered past her as Sam emerged from the kitchen. "For a drive," he said simply, his smirk belying otherwise. His attention shifted to his brother. "Hey Sam."

"Where are you going?"

"Just to run some errands for the wedding for Haley. We'll be back later," Dean told Sam, opening the door for Peyton.

Outside, Dean led the way across the lawn toward the car as Peyton asked, "Are we really going to do errands for Haley?"

Dean kept his face blank, plainly saying, "Just get in the car."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: If I owned them do you think I'd be writing fanfiction. I think not.  
Summary: Sequel to Come What May/Split Second. Takes place five months after Dean left Tree Hill. Dean's back, accompanied by Sam this time around and while the brothers wreak havoc on the hearts of the Tree Hill females, a murder mystery keeps them occupied.  
Notes: Yes, it's been a year since an update. But I noticed that this part which was wrote last year hadn't been added. Oops. D:

**Swept to Ruin: Chapter 7**

They didn't speak as Dean drove, not that either of them knew what to say anyway. The days since their reconciliation had fared well, but Peyton was still leery to start any conversation for fear that an argument would ensue. It was no way to maintain a relationship but she'd had her fair share of arguing with Dean since his arrival back in Tree Hill. She was adamant about enjoying the remainder of his visit without having another altercation.

Sam had been around to mediate, but it helped not mentioning the name of Lucas Scott — or any Scott for that matter. Haley had kept her distance as well not wanting to ruffle any more feathers since she was married to the culprit responsible for all the turmoil of the past few days.

So she stared out the window, watching the scenery fly past her as they left town and began inching toward the outskirts of the city. "Where are we going?" she asked when Dean crept out onto the highway and began traveling south out of Tree Hill.

"You'll see," he teased lightly.

Peyton questioned no further. Dean kept his secrets for a reason and this, she assumed, had its purpose. She leaned back against the seat and let Dean drive while the wheels turned in her head as to why Dean was being so mysterious with their destination.

A half-hour later, Peyton glanced across the seat toward Dean as they entered Carolina Beach. "What are we doing here?"

"Well," he drawled, eyes darting from her to the road, creeping to a stop at the intersection. "I got a tip about my dad," he said, his eyes searching both sides of the road for the motel that Caleb had tipped him off to.

After he and Sam left TRIC a few nights ago, he'd gone back to the motel with every intention of staying there for the night and returning to Peyton's the following morning.

However, a frantic phone call from Caleb had kept him from doing so. Caleb admitted to seeing his dad recently, though he feared for John Winchester's safety, informing Dean that his father was getting closer and closer to the demon and as he did so, things had begun to happen.

Their allies were being killed off one by one and his father had been warned to back off. Unfortunately John Winchester didn't scare that easily.

Dean had gone to meet Caleb and found out after a lot of teeth pulling that his father had been in North Carolina, checking up on he and Sam. He'd booked it back to Tree Hill while Caleb followed his father's credit card charges.

The most recent one had been at the Beachside Inn in Carolina Beach. For God knows how long his father had been not twenty miles away. Why would he be trailing them and yet not let them know he was near? Why did the man keep his phone off so that they couldn't reach him? He loved his father, but the majority of the time he didn't understand the man at all.

"How come you didn't bring Sam?"

Peyton's voice broke through his thoughts. He didn't even take a moment to ponder her question. "I wanted to bring you," he answered slowing to a stop as the traffic light turned red. Peyton smiled pleasingly. Dean stretched his arm across the seat, turning his head toward her, saying, "If he was here he's probably gone by now anyway. There was no use getting Sam riled up over nothing. It was worth checking out, though."

Peyton looked out the window, focusing on the people walking on the sidewalk as she told him sincerely, "I'm sorry that you didn't find him."

"When he's ready to be found, we'll find him," he said matter-of-factly, his voice cracking regardless. The light turned green and Dean pressed on the gas, the car lurching forward. "We pick up his trail every now and then, but it always runs cold. He doesn't want us to find him. That's obvious by now."

"Do you at least know why he disappeared in the first place?" The cynical look that Dean gave her told her all that she needed to know. She nodded her head in understanding. She should've known. "He's after it. The thing that killed your mother." And then that's when she got mad. "All you Winchesters are morons, aren't you?"

Flabbergasted, Dean had no comeback. He remained silent until he pulled into the seaside motel that one of his dad's aliases had checked into not more than three days before.

Peyton stayed in the car while Dean went into the manager's office to do whatever it was he did. Ten minutes later he walked out waving a room key.

She pushed open her door and piled out, meeting him on the sidewalk in front of Room 12A. As he unlocked the door, he told her, "He paid up until next week."

Pushing open the door, he ushered Peyton inside first, taking a look around before he stepped inside, closing the door behind himself.

The room was far from the state that he and Sam had found their dad's room back in Jericho. It was neat and tidy and the only thing that remained was a note on the bedside table with his name on it.

Dean swiped up the note, reading it aloud. "Stop." John Winchester needed little words to get his point across and Dean knew exactly what point his father was trying to make.

Peyton eyed him curiously as he crumbled the paper into his fist. "Stop what?"

"Looking for him," Dean said smoothly. "He's told us to stop before, but he's our dad. We're gonna look." He fell down onto the bed dropping his head into his hands. Sometimes he felt like he and Sam were on a fool's mission.

Maybe they'd never find their father. Maybe that was the point.

Feeling the bed dip he looked to his side as Peyton reached under his arm for his hand. "I'm sorry I called you a moron," she apologized. "It's just … you guys put yourselves in harms way for what? Have you ever thought of not doing what you do?"

"Of course we've thought about it," he conceded, entwining his fingers with hers. "We all vie for a life that we can't have, Peyton. But, yeah, Sam and I have talked about it. For us, though, it's not just about hunting this demon. It's about saving people and hunting these things that are hurting and killing people. We like what we do and we're good at what we do." He paused for a moment, then murmured under his breath, "I wish you'd stop ridiculing me for it."

She grimaced. That was how she'd come off. "I'm not ridiculing you, Dean," she insisted, rising to her feet. "I just … don't you guys want more than living out of suitcases and putting your lives on the line? You told me that you don't share who you are with very many people. If that's true then the people that you help are oblivious to who it is helping them. You don't get recognition for what you do. You're not firefighters or police officers. You don't get a pension if you get shot or your face plastered on the ten o'clock news to be thanked for your heroic act. It's just… it's just another day on the job."

"Are you finished?" he asked, his jaw set, ready to wail.

"Hardly," she quipped. Seeing the flash of lightning in Dean's eyes, she backed down and fell onto the bed as he began to pace the floor in front of her.

"You don't like what I do. I get it." He stopped, turning to pierce her with a hardened stare.

"It's not that I don't like what you do, Dean. It's just…," she trailed off, her bottom lip quivering. "It scares me." Tears slid down her cheeks, but she was quick to brush them away. "Your hunting scares me." There. She'd said it.

Softening, Dean sat beside her on the bed. It took him a moment to find his voice. She'd finally admitted to what he'd known all along. "I wasn't naïve to think that being with me wouldn't affect you." He took a moment to think, dipping his head as he mumbled, "It was the New Orleans thing, right?"

"I never blamed you for what happened," she assured him. "You told me how dangerous it could be and I didn't listen. I got a good glimpse of what you deal with on a day-to-day basis and while you were gone I thought about what had transpired in New Orleans constantly. I feared that you were by yourself and…" she stopped shortly, taking solace in Dean's arms.

Dean buried his face in Peyton's hair, muttering, "I'm sorry for … for everything. I never wanted you to worry."

Peyton summoned a smile. "No matter what you do and where you are, I'll still worry about you. When you feel the way that I feel about you, you can't help it."

Pulling back, Dean tucked her hair behind her ears, meeting her eyes as he told her, "Same here."

Peyton was quiet for a few minutes before she met his eyes, confessing, "Just because you were out of sight, Dean, you were never out of mind. I worried, but I somehow knew that you were okay."

He gently touched her cheek, wishing that he could erase the past few months. His dad wouldn't be missing, Sam would still be at school, Jessica would be alive and Peyton… well, she wouldn't have pined after him knowing who and what he was.

"I should've never put you in that position." He averted his eyes, whispering, "I shouldn't have come back." As Peyton opened her mouth to disagree, he added, "But I couldn't stay away from you."

Eyes watering, Peyton wound her arms around Dean's neck, her cries stifled into the hollow there. It was as close to Dean admitting his true feelings she'd ever get, but it was enough.

Really, it was plenty.

"Can we stop in at the café for a little while?"

Dean looked over at Peyton curiously, but asked no questions. It wasn't even dusk yet and he doubted an hour or two at the café would hurt anything. He could go for a cup of coffee. Possibly some French fries as well. A burger didn't sound too bad, either.

The sound of his growling stomach made up his mind for him. He swung into an empty parking space, then killed the engine. Together, they piled out, Dean following Peyton into the café.

She made a beeline toward the back to seek out Haley, leaving him standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, eyeing the table where Peyton's friends sat.

Dean wanted to go over. The guys were all crowded around the table. Junk. Fergie. Mouth.

But it was the presence of Lucas that gave him pause.

He wished that it didn't bother him so much. He wanted to brush everything aside and pretend that things were still how they were last summer. But that wasn't reality. The shooting and everything that had happened since then was embedded in his memory and it wasn't something that he was bound to get over anytime soon.

Lucas had pretended to be a friend, an ally and yet had blatantly lied to him for months. Everytime he'd ask about Peyton he would say that she was fine, but she was far from fine.

Dean ground his teeth just thinking about it.

When Dean didn't approach the table, Skills came to his side. "Man, you and Luke still ain't talking?" Skills sighed, obviously perturbed with the situation. Well, he wasn't the only one.

Dean nodded his head, leading the way toward the counter, telling Skills, "I'm trying to deal with it, but I'm not quite there yet."

They took seat at the counter, Dean picking up a menu to peruse the contents. As he was trying to decide between a burger and curly fries or just the burger or just the fries or both or something totally different with less grease, Skills, said, "Look, Dean, if it had been me and Peyton was my girl and she'd told some other guy that she loved him, I'd still be mad at that guy, too. But you need take a step back from the situation and realize who she's with." Skills motioned to Peyton standing near the kitchen with Haley, her eyes occasionally shooting toward them, more specifically to Dean. "And who she has eyes for."

Dean glanced over his menu at Peyton who smiled at him before returning her attention to Haley and whatever conversation they were having. He let the menu drop, tapping his fingers on it grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Skills was grinning himself. "So you told her yet?"

Alarm setting in, Dean snapped, "Told her what?"

"How you feel," Skills said pointedly. Did he have to write it on a Post-It and stick it to Dean's forehead?

Dean silenced, not wanting to discuss his feelings for Peyton with Skills or anyone else. He had clambered from this conversation with Sam many a times. When he was ready to talk about his feelings he would talk about them with Peyton and no one else.

"Dean!" Dean spun around, never more appreciative of Sam's horrible timing. Sam wasn't alone, however. Nathan was trailing at Sam's heels. "Hey I need to borrow the car," Sam blurted out, glancing from Nathan to Dean.

"Why?" Dean questioned even as he dug in his pocket for the car keys.

He tossed them to Sam who caught them mid air. "Thanks."

As Sam turned toward the door, Dean stood up. "Whoa, whoa, where's the fire?" He looked from his brother to Nathan, asking, "Just where are you going in my car?"

Peyton appeared at his side, wrapping her arm around his waist as Haley said, "They're off to the bus station to pick up my sisters. And Nathan's car isn't big enough to hold them and their luggage."

Sam expected Dean to say something further, but all he said was, "Well, what are you still doing here? Go!" Sam needn't be told twice. He flew out the door quickly, muttering a thank you.

Nathan lingered, however, fighting to find the right words to express his regret to Dean over being the source of his recent troubles with Peyton. As he opened his mouth, Dean assured him, "No hard feelings," with a comforting pat to his shoulder. At the sound of the car horn, Dean gestured to the door. "I think Sam's waiting for you."

Nathan smiled thankfully, then fled the café.

Peyton was surprised at how easily Dean had forgiven Nathan. She wished he'd treat Lucas the same way and just brush everything away, but that wasn't the kind of person that Dean was. She assumed that he forgave Nathan because he had to. He and Nathan weren't what he'd call friends whereas he and Lucas were. It was different when you were hurt by a so-called friend; she knew that better than anyone. "That was big of you," Peyton whispered in his ear, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Dean shrugged nonchalantly. Letting Nathan off the hook for telling him things that Peyton hadn't wanted him to know was one thing, but forgiving Lucas for what had occurred in his absence was quite another. "Well don't get any ideas in that pretty little head of yours. I'm not…," he said, trailing off to shoot a look towards Lucas. "I'm not."

"I wasn't even going to suggest it." Peyton refused to push the Lucas issue, especially with one small pertinent detail hanging over her head. Tugging on Dean's hand, she prodded, "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"And go where?" Dean asked, incredulous. "Sam took the car."

Peyton huffed. Had he no sense of adventure? "So what," she said flippantly. "There are other ways to get around, you know." She gently kicked his leg.

"Is that your way of telling me we're going for a walk?"

She simply laughed as she took him by the hand, and pulled him toward the door, Dean groaning behind her.

"What's with all the fidgeting?" Sam asked, quirking an eyebrow at Nathan. The boy was as white as a sheet and looked like he would keel over at any given moment.

They were sitting on a bench outside the bus station awaiting the bus that contained Haley's two sisters. Unable to take it anymore of Nathan's odd behavior, Sam questioned whether or not Nathan had a problem with Haley's sisters.

Nathan shot Sam a sincere look, but continued to jiggle his leg nervously. "Sorry, man, it's just… the last time one of Haley's sisters visited I realize that I'd slept with her."

Sam's eyes widened as he nodded his head. "Oh."

"It was back before I even knew Haley, but it kinda freaked her out. And this weekend… well it's very important to Haley and I just don't want it to be overshadowed by another shocking surprise from my past."

Sam sat forward, propping his elbows on his knees. He dropped his head into his hands. It had been nothing short of a roller coaster ride since he and Dean had arrived in Tree Hill. Dean had acquired a mini-family in the teenagers. And it was weird. He had never seen his brother fit in so well with a group of people. They were freaks by circumstance, but here Dean just… it was like he was right at home.

He had felt like he'd belonged at Stanford so it was a relief to know that his brother felt like he'd belonged somewhere as well. Dean put a good front the majority of the time, but he knew that his brother had despised the way they grew up as much as he did.

Banishing his wayward thoughts, Sam turned to Nathan, asking, "So… you think you slept with the other sister?"

Nathan shifted uncomfortably, expelling a deep breath. "God I hope not."

Yeah, that wasn't very comforting, Sam thought wryly. He snapped his head up when a Greyhound pulled to a stop in front of them, brakes squeaking.

When the doors opened, he and Nathan scrambled to their feet. And waited.


End file.
